Turnabout Storms
by Obsessed With Top hats
Summary: Feenziska, When Phoenix finds himself trapped in the courthouse with a whip wielding Prosecutor during a terrible snow storm. He finds himself wondering if she's as perfect as her father wants her to be. Still on Partial hiatus, only due to the entire story undergoing a rewrite. Updated 10-1-12
1. Snowstorms

Well, this is a surprise isn't it? Who'd have thought that, after all this time, I'd return? Yes, I am rewriting Turnabout Storms. I'm going to address any and all inconsistencies and try to keep everyone in character. However, In writing I found that keeping a schedule only hindered my ability to write. So this time, no schedule. I will not have a specific time slot for when you will see the next chapter but, this doesn't mean I will abandon this story again.

If I feel anything will get in the way of updating, I will alert you all in the coming chapters by editing and replacing that specific chapter. Finally, I'm a bit rusty in the lore of Phoenix Wright. I have played the games in recent months but, life has been distracting.

At best, i will try to keep everything in character but I do want to ask for forgiveness in advance should any character stray from the style of that character in-game. If you are simply whining because the character isn't acting the way you want them to act (which could also be out of game character.) then please keep your opinions to yourself. I like constructive criticism but calling me a bad writer because I don't make the characters act all lovey dovey is not of my concern.

* * *

A simple bronze plaque on an etched glass door read "Phoenix Wright: Defense Attorney". The man who ran this office was known for being uncouth, messy, unorganized, and overall damn good at his job. However, in the eyes of every single prosecutor he went up against, he was still a rookie.

His task for the night was simple, find evidence to prove a client's innocence. With each click of the keyboard, more and more evidence came into light. By the time Phoenix finished his report, he was sure that his client was innocent. The prosecutor he was up against would beg to differ. She was a temperamental type, expressing her anger with a flick of the wrist and a crack of her whip.

Phoenix sighed as he stood from his chair. Although he had enough evidence to prove his to the court that his client was innocent, he had also wasted a large chunk of time while writing the report up. It was nearing two in the morning, and the trial was later that day. He rubbed his eyes as the report printed and without a word, he grabbed the report, shut down the computer, locked up his office and started for his apartment.

When he finally got back to his apartment, he was not surprised to see a note on the fridge. Maya and Pearl had to go to Kurain village for the night, but would be back before the trial. Phoenix grinned, took down the note and walked slowly to his room. He entered it without a word. He placed the files and notes he'd need for the trial on his bedside table, and without changing clothes, he collapsed on his bed.

The alarm on the table rang loudly, startling the young defense attorney from his sleep. As Phoenix slowly got up out of bed and began to clean himself up, his phone rang.

"Nick!" a familiar voice screamed happily. "We're going to be a little late for the trial."

"Why is that? You and Pearls normally take, what, an hour at most to get here." Phoenix felt confused as he combed his hair. Maya was never late when they had to go to a trial.

"Nick, do me a favor and look outside." Maya countered in an unimpressed voice.

Phoenix hung up the phone and walked up to the window, the sight that met his eyes was nothing less than beautiful. Snow covered every inch of the city, the light and electrical poles were decorated with chains of ice. It looked almost magical. He couldn't help but smile at the sight, but as beautiful as it was, that meant the roads were slick and walking to work would be a pain.

As Phoenix walked out into the snow he slipped on a patch of black ice. The file slid from his grasp and skidded on the ice, scattering the papers inside. He sighed and began picking up the file and papers, hoping no one would see him. Too late, as he stood back up, a bright red Mercedes pulled up to the curb. The young woman at the wheel had an evil grin plastered on her face.

"Drop something, Phoenix Wright?" although Franziska von Karma spoke perfect English, she still spoke with strong German inflection in her voice. Phoenix inhaled and exhaled slowly before facing her.

"No, Ms. Von Karma, I slipped on the ice. The file fell from my hand when I tried to catch myself." He spoke carefully, knowing full well that she held her whip in the hand she wasn't driving with.

Even as he spoke the thin brown piece of leather slapped him and cut him across the face. Phoenix winced as it lashed him, but his grip on the file didn't relax. He snarled in pain as the whip hit him again, this time cutting near his eye.

"Yes, aim for the eyes, because blinding me won't make anything worse." He snapped.

"Watch yourself Phoenix Wright. After all, you and I both know you don't stand a chance against me in court." As she spoke, Phoenix collected himself. He glared at her as recovered from the whippings.

"Ms. Von Karma, Even if you did win this case, you'd end up whipping my sorry hide into oblivion." Phoenix sighed as he dusted himself off.

He faced Franziska as she snarled at him, her eyes burning with anger. She withdrew the whip and revved the motor. Without another word she sped away, spraying Phoenix with slush and snow. Phoenix sighed as his head dripped with the now melting snow. He shook his head sending a light spray around him. He looked up as a loud cat-call filled his ears.

"Wow, I didn't know a defense attorney could be so whipped!" A group of children nearby were laughing at their friend's quip. Phoenix shook his head and laughed.

"What are you laughing at loser!?" The kid yelled as Phoenix kept laughing.

"I'm not whipped, you are. I willingly go to my job; you little brats have no choice in whether you go to school or not. Who's whipped now?" he asked as he walked past the kids.

The kids went from laughing on the ground, to gathering snow to throw at Phoenix. He quickly gathered himself up and ran for the courthouse. He closed the door behind him just as the snowballs hit the door. As he turned around the last thing he saw before a face full of snow was Franziska von Karma grinning like a Cheshire cat. Her soft laughter tickled his ears. The snow had hit him hard enough to knock him off his feet.

"I did tell you Phoenix Wright, you don't stand a chance." She said to him.

A sigh escaped his lips as he wiped away the snow and stood up. As he got up to enter the courtroom behind Franziska, another snowball slapped the back of his head. He turned and for the briefest second, saw Pearl Fey laughing her head off. Then, the doors slammed closed and the trial began.

* * *

As Phoenix stepped out of the courtroom, he held his hand to his lip. Large whip marks lined his face and neck; his lip had been split open at one point, thus causing him to curse Ms. Von Karma and her vicious whip.

Without a word, Phoenix sat on the couch outside the courtroom and laid back, his head was pounding and the consequential whipping after the trial did little to aid his pain. He noticed his aide standing nearby, her cousin in tow. The two spirit mediums looked worried.

"Mr. Nick, will you be alright?" Pearl had noticed his busted lip.

"I'm fine Pearls, just tired. I have a minor headache but, nothing that A little rest won't help." He reassured her. "I might just stay here and rest for a bit before heading back."

"Nick, that might be a bad idea, it began snowing again while you were in trial." Maya said with concern.

Phoenix walked up to the window to check. The snow has begun to build again, a thin layer of ice lined the walk and a good 5 inches of snow had already fallen. However, the snow falling didn't look severe enough to worry about. Phoenix sat back down and went to lie down on the couch.

"Nick, come on we need to go." Maya insisted.

"Then go, I'm not keeping you here and in all honesty, I'm tired. Give me a small while and I'll be back at the apartment, ok?" Phoenix felt adamant, he felt too dizzy to walk home and a strange queasiness had swept over him rather fast.

"Ok, we'll wait for you at the apartment." Maya aid, unconvinced that he should stay.

Phoenix watched as Maya and Pearl exchanged looks before heading out into the light snowfall. It wasn't that he felt sick, just not well. His head throbbed painfully, his stomach was queasy and his mouth was dry. Exhaustion leaked through his body and as his head hit the pillow, he felt darkness engulf him.

Loud yelling and whip cracks startled Phoenix from his sleep. He turned over and looked towards the courthouse's front doors. The source of the yelling soon became clear. Franziska von Karma and Miles Edgeworth were bound in a heated argument. Phoenix sighed when he finally heard what they were yelling and did his best to go back to sleep. A few snatches of argument filtered through.

"Just go, Miles Edgeworth. I'll be perfectly fine. You know we have worse snow in Germany, and besides, I have to study for the upcoming trial!" Franziska insisted.

"Okay, fine. Stay here, Franziska. However, I want you home before two A.M. you know I hate waiting for you." Edgeworth snapped as he headed out the door.

"Fool." Franziska whispered as she walked away, her heels clicking lightly and fading as she disappeared down the hall.

Phoenix was in a light haze, the area seemed content in lulling him back to sleep. Franziska's heels clicking lightly on the tile floor, mixed with the ticking of the clock and the comfort of the couch. Phoenix fell asleep within minutes.

Phoenix awoke with a start, his phone rang loudly from his pocket and the soft snow that was falling was now accompanied by a roaring wind. He sighed and drew his hand over his face as he plucked his phone from his pocket.

"Hello, Phoenix Wright speaking." He stated, still drowsy.

"NICK! Thank goodness, you're still at the courthouse, right?" The worry in Maya's voice jolted him awake.

"What's wrong, Maya? I'll be on my way out in a second here!" he said simply.

"That'd be a bad idea Nick." She said weakly, her voice strained.

Before Phoenix could ask what happened, a male voice interrupted him on the phone.

"Wright!?" Edgeworth sounded twice as hysterical as Maya had. "Is Franziska still at the courthouse?!"

"I don't know, just woke up." Phoenix explained, still in a daze.

"D-do me a favor, Wright, look for her, make sure she's still there and stays there,

Please."

"Sure thing, I'll look for her." Phoenix said distantly. He'd noticed that the snow had built up and was nearing the window ledge. He clicked the phone off and slowly began walking down the hall.

The lights above flickered ominously, the clock ticked loudly and the wind howled from outside. Phoenix could tell just by the tension in the air, that something was wrong. His pace quickened as he looked in each room he passed. He stopped briefly in one room to pick up a small flashlight and continued down the hall.

The sign on the door read 'Cafeteria'. It was one of the only other rooms lit and the only place he hadn't checked on the first floor. With a silent prayer he opened the door and looked around. A sigh escaped his lips when he saw Franziska von Karma sitting quietly at a table, fully concentrating on the file in front of her.

"Ms. von Karma?" Phoenix kept his voice low, to avoid spooking her. She looked up. Slight alarm flitted across her face before settling into annoyance.

"What do you want, Phoenix Wright?" she sounds harried, as if exhausted by reading the file. It didn't surprise him, most case files were painful to read.

"It's 9 P.M. and the storm has grown worse. Your brother, Miles Edgeworth called me. He's asked me to tell you that we'll have to stay here for the night." Phoenix didn't know why he felt so calm but, the flickering lights did give him a sense of unease.

"Ha. That is such a foolish joke, Phoenix Wright. The storm could not have grown worse in this short amount of time. As for what time it is, it doesn't concern me. I have stayed here overnight researching cases before." She stated simply.

"Ms. von Karma, do me a favor." Phoenix chuckled as Franziska readied her whip.

"What is it, foolish fool?" she asked warningly.

"Look out the window."

Franziska blinked, she lowered her whip and made her way to the window, where she felt her heart drop. The snow had indeed gotten worse, and it was now slowly climbing the windows inch by inch.

A sharp snap filled the air and the electronics around them stopped functioning, the lights flickered dangerously and the only sound that filled the air afterwards was the howling wind.

"It looks like the power's gone dead." Phoenix stated, before feeling rather stupid for his obvious statement.

"Foolish fool, if the power is out then why are the lights still working?" Franziska was testing him, he could tell by the look in her eyes.

"It's called 'back-up power'," he said simply. "It's basically a generator that supplies power to the lights, while leaving anything else without power."

Phoenix looked around and took notice of various vending machines and the sandwich shop when had plenty of pre-made sandwiches sitting in the fridge in the back. It then occurred to him that, as long as they were there, they may as well gather supplies.

"We'd better gather some food and drink. Who knows how long we'll be stuck here." He said simply.

"Fool, you said nothing works because the power is off. How will we get it?" Franziska snapped impatiently.

"Ms. von Karma, In case of emergency, you break the glass." Phoenix then picked up a chair and slammed it against the glass for the vending machine, shattering it.

"Doesn't this count as vandalism and stealing?" she asked bitterly.

"Like I said, it's an emergency, and who know how long we'll be stuck here. If worst comes to worst, I'll pay for the damages." Phoenix said without batting an eye. He knew that people trapped in other buildings would be taking the same measures to survive.

"Foolish fool, I refuse to take part in such illegal actions!" Phoenix watched as Franziska turned on her heel and left the room angrily.

Phoenix sighed. He knew it was illegal under any normal circumstances to destroy public property and to steal from the vending machines but, what other choice was there? They'd be stuck there a minimum of 3 days if the snow didn't slow down, as judging by the cracks in the glass, there was little chance of rescue before a week went by.

Phoenix tore out the plastic encasing the wires from the soda machine next, slowly stacking the drinks on the table next to it. He then made his way to the kitchen and found two large bags, obviously made for transporting food from the truck to the café. He opened the fridge and took a few of the premade sandwiches.

After filling the two bags with food and drinks, he slowly made his way towards the hall. The sight that met him made him stop in his tracks. The snow had completely built up against the windows. Large chucks of glass had popped out, letting a small stream of fresh snow into the courthouse. The remaining glass and spider webbed with large cracks that creaked loudly with the building pressure.

He moved slightly faster, briskly walking towards the stairwell. A loud crash echoed behind him as the first window shattered and snow spilled into the courthouse. As he walked up the stairs, the lights snapped loudly and went black. The remaining windows shattered and snow and wind whirled endlessly around the stunned defense attorney.

HE flicked on the small flashlight as he made his way up the stairs and into the second floor hallway. Grateful for the relief from the undying wind, he checked each door for the office he knew Franziska would be in.

He stopped in front of the door and knocked lightly. A commanding and extremely angered voice met his ears.

"Enter." Was all she said, her voice was too even and too emotionless.

Phoenix slowly opened the door and wisely left the bags outside. The second he stepped into the office he felt the lash of the whip sting his skin. Over and over she whipped him, large thin marks appearing on his face and neck as she did so.

"What the hell were you thinking, Phoenix Wright?!" She snapped. "You give a poor display for the law, do you think you are above it as so many of the criminals you persecute?!"

As soon as the whip stopped, Phoenix left the room and returned with the bags. He didn't speak, just wiped off his face and collapsed on one of the couches in the office. He rubbed his eyes tiredly.

"Ms. von Karma. No one is above the law, least of all someone like me." He held up his hand as Franziska tried to interrupt him. "I know that taking this was wrong but, please, try to understand. We're trapped in the courthouse. Judging by the condition of the storm we will be stuck here for a minimum of four or five days. Now, unless you are some Miracle worker or you're immortal. I highly doubt you can survive without food or water."

"You still have to answer for smashing the machines." She snapped.

"I will. However, judging by our circumstances, you'd agree that sooner or later, this measure would've been necessary." He said it gently, trying not to anger her further.

She stared at him for a small moment before nodding. Although she hated to admit it, their situation was less than manageable and any help from any source was welcome.

"Also, it's gotten dangerous downstairs. The windows have all shattered from the buildup of snow and ice. So, we'll have to stay up here until rescue arrives." Phoenix warned her.

Franziska sighed and looked out the window as the storm worsened. Phoenix noticed the open file on her desk and curiosity got the better of him. As he looked at the file he felt confusion settle in. It was her father's file from the Hammond murder. Next to it was Gregory Edgeworth's file. Franziska noticed him looking and sighed.

"I'm looking for a motive." She stated.

"Excuse me?" Phoenix felt embarrassment flood his cheeks as he looked at her. She looked stoic.

"I'm looking for my father's motive in the DL-6." She said.

"Didn't he tell you?" Phoenix felt incredulous. This was her father who committed the crime, not some random person.

"No, he feels I don't need to know anything about it since it has nothing to do with me." She said darkly. Phoenix felt his temper flare.

"That ridiculous, this is your father. Not some random bum off the street." Phoenix spat. "Where does he get the idea it has nothing to do with you?"

"He just told me that it's better if I didn't know." She said bitterly. "He's protecting me, I guess." Her uncertainty startled him.

"Ms. von Karma, it is well within your right to know what happened. Hiding this fact from you is concealing evidence, not protecting you." Phoenix raised his voice. He felt alarmed. Did she really not know her father's selfish reason?

"Phoenix Wright, what I do and do not know out of my father's case is none of your concern! If Miles Edgeworth wants to keep me in the dark about this matter then it is his decision." Franziska spat angrily. She held her whip at the ready and Phoenix backed off.

"Did you at least find the information you were looking for?" he asked.

"No. Miles must've taken it." She settled down as well, slinking back into her desk chair.

Phoenix could feel his anger rising but, he knew if he spoke his mind he would probably be eating whip leather for the rest of the night. He sat back down on the couch and rubbed his temples vigorously. He then noticed the agitated look on Franziska's face, maybe he should just tell her himself?

"Ms. von Karma?" he inquired lightly. He watched as her stance darkened and she gave him a glassy stare. He continued, "Would you like me to tell you why your father killed Edgeworth's father?"

"No Phoenix Wright, I would not. Whatever reason Miles has to hide it from me is extremely important." She felt slight alarm when Phoenix interrupted her.

"I didn't ask what Miles or your Father wanted. I'm asking you, now. Do you want to know?" His voice was edgy and his temper boiling. _She's so used to people telling her how to respond she hardly knows what she wants. _He thought bitterly.

"I-I….. Yes, I do want to know what happened, and why. However, what I want is not the issue. It shouldn't be your concern of whether I know something or not Phoenix Wright." She snapped as she stood up and made her way around the desk towards the other couch.

Phoenix stood up and began pacing, slowly. The room was large, two couches sitting across from one another. The desk sat next to the window and the small amount of light that made its way into the room was from outside. As Phoenix paced he could feel his temper rising, slowly. He had to discuss this with her. She deserved better treatment.

"Please, stop." Phoenix looked at Franziska and realized why the uncertainty was there, she was scared to see her own father dragged down to the low point of being called a murderer. Phoenix shook his head.

"Ms. von Karma, regardless of what your 'brother' thinks. It is not in your best interest that he's concealing evidence." He winced as her whip whistled through the air and bit him on the cheek. She looked murderous herself.

"You are a fool. Is it really so wrong to Conceal something to protect someone, to avoid bringing them harm?" she asked venomously.

"Not if hiding something does more harm than good." He snapped back.

He winced as the whip bit him again, multiple times. With each snap of the whip he felt his temper flare out. Finally, he'd reached his limit. He put his arm up and caught the whip mid-swing. It tangled around his arm before unwinding and dangling uselessly in his grip.

"Pride," he said darkly. "Do you know what it does to a person ms. von Karma?"

"Foolish Fool!" she snapped at him, trying to reclaim her whip. Phoenix chuckled angrily.

"Pride was what brought him down. A perfect forty-year record and yet it was gone in an instant. I wonder, what anger did you really feel when I broke your perfect record?" he asked bitterly. Blood began to drip from his lip which cut open.

Franziska froze. All anger and hatred she felt for the man in front of her gave way to curiosity and fear.

"He had been penalized a long time ago by Edgeworth's father, He'd been found submitting falsified evidence." Phoenix continued, "His anger was only warped into unnatural hatred when Edgeworth, in fear of the quarrel going on in the elevator, ended up shooting your dad."

Franziska could feel the pain welling up inside, surely this fool was lying…. Wasn't he?

"In his blind anger, he waited as the elevator arrived and saw Yanni Yogi, Edgeworth and his father passed out inside. He then saw the gun at his feet and saw revenge in the same gun." Phoenix finished bitterly. "Your father was a murderer, and he held no regrets for what he did. His pride gave way to anger and anger led to his crime."

"Phoenix Wright," Franziska struggled to keep her voice even, "Ever if what you say is true, can you prove it?"

"With all due respect Ms. von Karma The bullet in his right shoulder did all the talking for me in court." He snapped bitterly.

Phoenix watched as Franziska sat down shakily and looked around, fear overwhelmed her. She looked lost, as if searching for a place to hide.

"You know, Ms. von Karma, what I am talking about, Don't you?" He asked venomously. "You know that pride drives you, It's driven you this far. So, who's to say it won't drive you down the same path?"

"You fool! Other than pride I am nothing like my father!" she stood defensively.

"So the bullet wound in your right shoulder doesn't exist then?!" he snapped back.

Phoenix only saw the look of horror flit across her face before she pushed past him and ran out into the hall. It was then that he realized why Edgeworth had kept it secret from her. She was still young, still clinging to that image of parents that so many children hold dear. She still looked to them for guidance. He began banging his head on the wall in frustration and anger.

"Foolish! Foolish! Fool!" He snapped bitterly at himself. He felt his anger drain into sorrow. He'd have to go apologize. Though he doubted she'd forgive him that easily, if at all.

"I'm a real dumbass." He remarked to himself. "It wouldn't surprise me if she whipped me to hell and back for this mess!"

Before Phoenix could gather his thoughts a terrified scream tore through the air. Anger and guilty gave way to fear and horror. He was sure it was Franziska's voice. Something had happened to her. Phoenix tore out of the room quickly.

"Please don't be dead, please!" He whispered silently as he disappeared down the hall.


	2. Blackouts

i obviously don't own Phoenix Wright. if i did i probably wouldn't be writing this would i?

* * *

Phoenix ran down the hall, the flashlight bouncing in his hand. He looked at every corner, searching frantically for the young woman, whom only moments ago he had stupidly accused of being a future murderer. 'I'm so stupid!' he screamed at himself as he ran down another hall. At this point he was lost, completely lost within the labyrinth that forced him to be trapped in the midst of a blackout and a huge storm surge which had very nearly buried the city. Within this huge wreck of a storm, he'd gone and made things worse. His only companion within the building was a young woman, Franziska von Karma, who loved whipping the snot out of him.

Phoenix sighed as he found another turn and took it, hoping to find the young lady, hoping to set things right and at least try and get on her good side. 'No, that's never going to happen, she hates me, and I more than deserve to die by her whip. Who am I, to question her future?' As he recoiled from these thoughts a sound reached his ears, soft weeping. It echoed down the halls and phoenix followed it, running blindly down each corridor, his mind in a haze. He stopped in his tracks as he found himself face to face with Franziska, who looked up at him with more hate than he could possibly think. He knew what came next as she raised her whip.

He didn't resist as the long thin piece of leather lashed out, biting his skin many times over. Eventually he fell to his knees and the whipping stopped, he allowed the flashlight to drop from his hand and roll quietly across the floor. He gasped weakly as the scent and taste of blood overwhelmed his senses, but the guilt overweighed the pain and tears pricked the corners of his eyes. "Hit me again." He whispered as she stood to walk away. She turned toward him and gave him a questioning look, "Hit me again." He pleaded, "I more than deserve it," he looked right at her as the guilt began burning painfully through him, he could barely even face her. "So, please, hit me again." All he heard in response was the soft click of her heels walking away. He closed his eyes the clicking of her heels faded away. Finally he stood, picked up the flashlight and turned it off, and walked in the same direction he heard her leave. If she wasn't going to hurt him like he'd hurt her, she would at least listen to his apology.

He followed from a distance being careful not to make a sound. She stopped and looked around, the darkness engulfing everything around them. Phoenix took that chance to run up from behind and grab her, he put his hand over her mouth and said, "Stop struggling, you're liable to hurt yourself" She froze in shock before struggling even worse than before, Phoenix yelped as she suddenly bit down sinking her teeth into his hand, he let go of her mouth and shook his hand angrily as she yelled, "What on earth do you think you are doing Phoenix Wright?!" "If you're not going to whip me to death, you should at least hear me out." He countered, she stopped fighting, "If this is some weak apology…" "It may be an apology, but it's anything but weak Ms. Von Karma." She stopped struggling and he let her go, quietly turning around and facing him as he racked over his thoughts. "What I said back there, I had no right to say. Although you are a tough Prosecutor to face, you are nothing like your father. You have more patience and more heart than he did. What I said was cruel, heartless, stupid and downright foolish!" he sighed weakly as she stopped looking so angry, "The only reason I said what I did, was because I was questioning your reason for protecting the person who hid the truth from you." He looked at the floor, too ashamed to say anything else. "I simply wanted you to hear me out, I won't stop you if you walk away again." Franziska looked thoughtful before speaking, "I know you were only pointing out facts, but it still doesn't deny that what you had said to me hurt. You're a different kind of human Phoenix Wright. You say things before thinking, and it's exactly this that caused you to stage such an outburst." He winced but didn't reply, "And yet," she continued quietly, "It seems you finally learned how much it can hurt a person to speak in such a way. I may be a Prosecutor, but you cannot deny I have feelings." He nodded.

She then smiled lightly and turned around and began to walk away, Phoenix only looked up when she stopped, she turned and her smile widened, "Well, are you coming? Or will I be alone for the rest of the night in my office, while you stand there sulking?" Phoenix blushed, looking taken aback, "Err." she raised an eyebrow as he stood there quietly, she rolled her eyes, "You got lost trying to find me didn't you?" he blushed furiously and she giggled lightly as he nodded, "Well then, you'll have to follow me to get back won't you?" he glared before sighing in defeat, he then grinned and bowed, much to her confusion. "After you, Princess." He motioned for her to lead the way. She scoffed and began walking, making sure that he was actually following as she walked.

As they walked back into the room Phoenix turned on the flashlight and shone it on the ceiling, casting a light glow over the whole room. Franziska stared at him, "What are you doing?" He grinned and said, "Better to light the whole room than just one specific area." She nodded lightly and sat down. Phoenix sat nearby, cautiously keeping his distance. Franziska glanced at the bags of food and liquid before blushing in embarrassment as her stomach growled. Phoenix walked over to the bags and picked them both up, bringing them over to the couch they sat on, he opened one and pulled out a sandwich, "Not exactly fresh, but I managed to salvage at least six of them. They're even pre-cut." he said gently, before pulling the two halves apart. Handing a bewildered Franziska a half of the sandwich he grinned as they both began to eat.

Phoenix quietly stared at the ceiling as Franziska paced the room. "Isn't there any contact?" she asked him, he opened his phone and groaned, "Sadly there's no service." Franziska whipped the air between them, the whip itself missing him by inches. "Damnit! I should've listened to Miles!" "It's no use crying over spilt milk, what's done is done and we're stuck here for it," She sighed before sitting down nearby. "There has to be something." Phoenix closed his eyes in concentration. "What about a transceiver?" he asked. Franziska suddenly stood up and walked over to her desk, she opened a drawer and pulled out a small, almost phone like device and held it up, "Do you mean this?" Phoenix sat up and nodded.

She sat the transceiver on the table and sat down as Phoenix began searching through different Frequencies for a response. "Hello?" he asked into the Transceiver. "Are you expecting it to talk?" Franziska asked humorlessly. Phoenix gave her a look before nearly jumping off the chair as a scream resonated from the transceiver, "NICK!" this was followed shortly by Maya yelling for Edgeworth and Pearl. Soon a male voice was heard among the happy squeals, "Phoenix Wright if my sister isn't there I swear I'll--" "Hi Miles." Franziska cut him off while rolling her eyes. "Franziska! Are you ok?! Are you hurt?" Phoenix laughed as Franziska responded, "I'm a little tired but other than that I'm ok. I'm lucky actually, the man you just threatened warned me of the storm a few hours ago." "Oh." Loud laughter was heard in the background as Edgeworth muttered, "Oops." Phoenix chuckled. "Nice, I save your sister and you threaten me, very smooth." "Shut up, Wright." He countered. A small voice in the background soon filled their ears, "Mr. Edgey? I'm tired." Phoenix coughed to cover his laugh. He then said into the transceiver, "Go on 'Mr. Edgey' don't keep the lady waiting, go tuck her in!" a few muttered words were soon followed by, "Listen Wright, I'm turning this thing off now, but if I hear anything bad from Franziska when we finally get out, I'll kick your butt." It was almost too obvious he was trying not to swear in front of Pearl. Franziska giggled as the line went static and she switched the Transceiver off.

Phoenix yawned widely before standing up and walking out the door, "Phoenix Wright, where are you going?" "Even if this is a courthouse, there might be some emergency blankets somewhere." He said. Franziska nodded, "There's some in the prosecutors lounge which is just down the hall." He nodded and walked towards the prosecutors lounge, knowing very well about its location. He walked down the hall quietly with the flashlight in his hand. He approached the door to the lounge almost nervously and opened the door.

The darkness was almost horrifying. It swallowed the room completely, leaving no room for light. The flashlight cut like a beam through the darkness, splashing against the opposing wall. Phoenix walked into the room cautiously, looking behind the door and around the room with the flashlight, the beam finally landing on a storage unit. He quietly opened it and began searching through it. He found two pillows hidden away in the back, and two blankets hidden near the bottom of the unit. After grabbing the pillows and blankets he quietly made his way back to Franziska's office, the flashlight bounced heavily with the pillows as he walked down the hall.

As he entered he yelped as the whip lashed out and knocked the items out of his hand, "What the heck was that for!?" "Sorry, I was only being defensive, I didn't know if you were friend or foe, you were hidden by the pillows and blankets." he heard Franziska apologize and rolled his eyes, "Why do you carry that whip around anyway?" he asked as he picked up the blankets and pillows. As he walked past her to sit down she began to speak he quickly threw a blanket over her head and chuckled when she pulled it off looking annoyed, "Sorry" he chuckled, "Couldn't resist." He sat the flashlight back up so it sent light throughout the room. "Well?" he asked, "Well, what?" she countered, "Why do you have that whip?" She rolled her eyes before quietly examining the whip that almost happily lay unrolled in her hands. "I was only thirteen when I started my career, but it was around the same time Miles Edgeworth got his degree in prosecution. Papa had ignored my success, but turned his full Attention towards my so called 'Brother'. He received this very whip as a graduation gift, made from genuine leather, and worth more than I can say, considering it is a family heirloom." She sighed weakly, "All I got for winning my first guilty verdict, were these." She said pointing to her neck and to her cuffs where the turquoise gems glimmered faintly in the flashlight's faint beam. "Although they're nice, I felt left out. Papa said, I didn't deserve the whip because I wasn't ready, he said I wasn't a full prosecutor. So Miles Edgeworth got the heirloom that, by bragging rights, should've belonged to me. He had insisted that Miles should have it since it was only an heirloom through the male side of the family, and since Papa didn't have a son," she lowered her head almost in submission. Phoenix could only stare in shock. Franziska continued as if she didn't notice, "Only a week later I had my second win. Miles gave the whip to me in celebration saying I deserved it more, and since he technically wasn't family, he had no need for it. Papa looked like he was about to have a heart attack." She smiled, and then fingered the whip almost thoughtfully. "I guess the genuine answer is 'I'm not sure'. The only memories I have of this thing are bad. Even when I whip someone, it feels like the whip is objecting the very fact that I hit that person." Phoenix didn't smile, he could only stare, stare at the large string of pure leather that lay limp in the young woman's hand.

He sighed softly as she clenched her fists around the whip angrily. "Just because you don't feel the same doesn't mean you can't feel better." "You're saying I should just toss it." It was not a question. Phoenix winced, "Well, it would make you feel better wouldn't it?" Franziska shook her head. "I'm so used to having this stupid thing in my grasp and yet it makes me, how do you say, unnerved when I use it." Phoenix leaned forward quietly and clasped his hands together. "So in other words you've reached an impasse?" she nodded, biting her lower lip. "Then find an outlet." "You really are foolishly foolish. Do you even know what an Impasse is?" "It's a situation in which there is no escape." He said darkly, "what I meant was, find something else, to replace the whip, something that fits your grip to your liking and yet strikes your enemies just as hard."

She looked thoughtful before sighing, "What item would fit in my hands yet hit just as hard as a whip?" the leather weapon fell to the floor with a clatter. "To tell you the truth, the only things that fit that are either a stun-gun or the whip that you just dropped." She nodded weakly and buried her face in her hands. Suddenly Phoenix looked thoughtful, "Why not buy another whip?" she looked at him like he was crazy, "how would that help this situation?" "Well, you could give this whip," he pointed to the one on the floor, "to Edgeworth then buy one for yourself. That way those bad memories wouldn't haunt you you'd be able to create your own legacy, without having to resort to ruining everything you know." She bit her lower lip again in concentration before answering. "Ok." He raised an eyebrow. Franziska was shaking, "Better to carve a new path than to ruin yourself trying to walk in the tracks you never wanted to follow." She looked up at him as he said it, she then nodded and smiled weakly.

Franziska stared as Phoenix stood and picked up a pillow and blanket and placed the pillow on the other couch, he sat down quietly before noticing Franziska's stare, "What?" "You asked me a question, shouldn't that entitled me asking you a question?" he looked Thoughtful before nodding, "I guess so. Just don't ask anything too personal." She nodded, "How'd you get your name?" Phoenix nearly laughed. "Yeah, my name isn't exactly normal is it?" "No it's not, so how did you get the name 'Phoenix'?" he smiled. "It was only Forty-eight hours after I was born. I was not acting normally, instead of crying I was silent as ever. The doctors became worried when I refused to cry and ran a diagnostic on me. It was only two hours later that I had been diagnosed with an illness, one that, under usual circumstances, would kill a newborn. The doctors told my parents I had at least six more hours to live, in desperation they had me put on life-support, but that would not change the fact that I was dying. So my parents had a decision to make, either disconnect the life-support and end it, or keep fighting." He sighed softly, "My parents were stupid. They were the one reason I moved here, they never cared for me like they should've. They chose to disconnect the machine and left me for dead." He closed his eyes is sorrow, "The six hours passed and the doctors continually checked up on me. Yet after almost a week, I was actually recovering. Not only were the doctors stunned but my parents were too. The doctors compared me to the legendary bird, and it was then and there, that my parents named me Phoenix, saying 'I lived up to the name'." he sighed darkly, "They weren't kidding, I had the crap beaten out of me everyday because of that stupid name. Yet I was never injured so badly that I needed medical assistance."

Phoenix lay down and closed his eyes, the echoing silence from his story hung heavily in the air. Franziska quietly set up her make-shift bed, and lay down. She closed her eyes and sighed before listening to the silence that filled the room, broken only by the wind blasting the snow outside. Glancing at her watch she blinked, the little timekeeper read two in the morning. She quietly pulled the blanket tightly over her and closed her eyes.

* * *

The room was silent, save for the soft breathing as Phoenix and Franziska continued sleeping on their opposing couches. Franziska opened her eyes and struggled to hold back a yawn, she glanced over to Phoenix who was ominously close to falling over. She grinned as he leaned towards the edge. Finally, with a loud thump, he fell to the floor and hit his head, effectively waking him up. Franziska giggled, "Good morning sleepy head." Phoenix looked over before looking slightly confused. "What happened?" he asked in a dazed monotone. Franziska rolled her eyes, "I think looking out the window will spark your memory." Phoenix stood up and walked over to the window, he was half-way through a yawn when his eyes met the snow that covered everything in sight, his jaw dropped as everything flooded back to him in great waves.

"Oh, right." He commented. Franziska rolled her eyes as she got up and straightened out her make-shift bed, Phoenix walked back over and made his 'bed' as well. As Franziska sat down, phoenix picked up the transceiver and grinned, "Shall we check up on our friends?" she nodded slightly, still tired having just barely woken up.

An eerie static filled the room as Phoenix searched through the frequencies again, "Hello?" he said into it, "Maya? Pearls?" he stopped the dial as a small voice answered "Mr. Nick?", "Hey pearls, are Maya and Edgeworth there?" "They're still sleeping. Want me to wake them?" "Yes, please." Franziska answered. Her footfalls were barely heard before they sound disappeared completely, leaving only silence.

Only a minute or two later and a loud resonating tone filled the room causing both Phoenix and Franziska to jump, this was followed from the transceiver by loud yelling in which the words "I'm going to kill them!" was heard from a disgruntled Edgeworth. "Ok, I just got woken up by an air horn. Now what do you want?" Phoenix was laughing too hard to answer. Franziska was biting back the laughter that was putting up a very good fight at this point, "Sorry, we didn't know she'd wake you like that." "Is Wright laughing?" Franziska giggled before slapping Phoenix lightly on the back. "Stop laughing it's starting to become contagious." He coughed in response but eventually calmed himself enough to talk. "Sorry Edgeworth, I didn't know she'd actually do that." Pearl's voice could be heard in the back ground, "Did I do something bad Mr. Edgey?" Miles sighed, and Franziska giggled, "Pearl? You didn't do anything bad you just scared the living daylights out of him." "Yeah, Edgeworth is not a morning person so he gets the grumbles when someone wakes him up." Phoenix put in with another cough. "Oh, is there any cure for the 'grumbles'?" she asked. "No, there's not." Miles intervened before Wright could make the situation any worse.

"How are you guys doing" Phoenix asked. "Well, other than the power dying on us, we're unharmed." Was the response Edgeworth gave, "Yeah Mr. Nick, it was scary." Pearl cut in. "The lights haven't come back on and it's still dark." Phoenix sighed, "Things aren't much better here, the lights are dead, along with everything else. Except for flashlights and the Transceiver there's no electronics that work." "It's the same here. Even the Cell Phones have died out." Franziska sighed, "So in other words we're all stuck here until the city plows the streets?" "I'm afraid so. I'm sure the whole city is stranded. So until the plows come through, we are stuck." "Ok," Phoenix responded calmly, "From now on we only try to contact one another when it's absolutely necessary. Until then, we have to keep the transceiver off." "Agreed, we don't want our last source of communication going dead on us while we're mindlessly babbling." Phoenix turned the transceiver off without another word.

Complete silence filled the room, Broken only by the wind outside the window. Snow still swirled haphazardly through the air. Phoenix stared at the table, lost in his thoughts. "What's on your mind, Phoenix Wright?" Franziska asked. Phoenix sighed, "Why?" "Why, what?" "Why do you hate me so much?" "You mean that's not obvious?" it was becoming a battle of questions, one that Phoenix was tired of. "I had nothing to do with your father's death. It was his choice to commit murder, and that makes it his fault alone. So why blame me for something I had no control over?" Franziska stared, "You were the one who convicted him." She said simply, Phoenix rolled his eyes, "If you had prosecuted your dad's case would you have shown weakness to get him an acquittal or would you strive to keep your perfect record?" Franziska was caught off guard by the question. She looked thoughtful before looking almost lost. She bit her lip in thought, confusion apparent in her eyes. "Not as easy as it looks, is it?" he asked, Franziska looked at him darkly, "Part of the job, whether Prosecution, or Defense, is to uncover the truth, then face unbearable decisions that no one wants to face. Although you have yet to face that choice. One day you'll see just how bad the choice will get Ms. Von Karma. The choices we make in life define who we are, the choices we make as attorney's define how well we know our job."

Franziska stared at Phoenix as he suddenly looked thoughtful. He picked up the bag with food in it and pulled out a small bag. He then reached into the bag of drinks and pulled out a bottle of water. "You know," Franziska said, "That is the least foolish thing I've heard you say since we've met." Phoenix shrugged, "That's because half the time we see each other I am somehow incapacitated and therefore make myself look like an ass." Franziska scoffed. "Fools have no excuse to forgive their foolishness." Phoenix chuckled, "Actually there is one type of Fool that as a valid excuse, but if I mentioned that you'd probably whip me to death." She looked almost angry before grinning, taking the little quip as a challenge. "Try me." Phoenix sighed, "Are you sure? You may not like what I have to say." Franziska rolled her eyes, "Almost everything you say I don't like, Phoenix Wright." Phoenix laughed, "That's true." Franziska leaned back, "Well?" Phoenix gulped visibly before saying, "some people act foolish, becausetheyreinlove." He sped up on the last line and coughed after saying it. "What?" Franziska asked, unable to catch the entire sentence, it scared her slightly, why was he acting jumpy so suddenly? Phoenix sighed and blushed, "I-I said some people act foolishly because they're in love." He said before looking insanely embarrassed. Franziska stared at him before giggling. "So you are saying some fools act the way they do simply because they fawn over one another? Is that how it is here in America?" Phoenix nodded and she scoffed, "That sounds almost pathetic, you fall in love with someone and in that instant you'd do anything for them? It sounds like a lost puppy. " Phoenix rolled his eyes, still blushing.

He stood and stretched, yawning weakly. "You can't possibly be tired Phoenix Wright. It's barely Midday!" He rolled his eyes in response before looking at his watch, "Actually it's almost Three in the afternoon." He commented. Franziska looked at her watch and glared, He was right. The day seemed like it had only begun and yet it was almost over. "Besides," Phoenix said, interrupting her thoughts, "I barely slept last night." "What's the matter, were you scared?" "In a way," Phoenix said truthfully. "Look at our situation. I'm sure everyone probably thinks we're dead. Not to mention we have no idea how long we'll be stuck here." He sat down on the couch he'd slept on the night before. "Also, it felt like I was being watched the whole night through." Franziska scoffed, "We're the last humans in here Phoenix Wright, and I doubt anyone could be watching us considering no one went in or out of the building during this storm."

Phoenix glared at her, "That, is getting annoying" he said darkly, "From now on just call me either Phoenix or Nick, I'm sick of being called by my full name. It sounds too formal for the circumstances." Franziska looked slightly taken aback. "In that case what would you call me during this?" "Franziska, of course. Your first name sounds better than any nickname I could come up with." She stared at him. A faint blush playing on her face.

Phoenix looked around, "It still feels weird in here. I have the worst sense that someone is watching us." Franziska looked outside, not noticing the shadow sneaking up behind Phoenix. He gasped as he was hit on the head bluntly. He fainted and fell, passed out of the couch. Franziska turned to face him only to have a cloth that had been treated with chloroform shoved against her mouth, she pulled up the whip, holding her breath to defy the person who was now trying to capture her.. Although her captive was faster and bound her hands, the whip slipped from her hands as she fought and struggled, her captive pulled her from her sitting position, practically dragging her out as she held her breath defiantly. As her captive dragged her to the door, she hit her knee on the table. She inhaled deeply to scream, briefly forgetting the cloth that was now tied to her mouth. The last thing she saw before blacking out entirely was Phoenix Wright lying unconscious on the couch and her whip, uncurled spread across the floor like a snake. She was then dragged unceremoniously from the room.

* * *

next up is _Whiteouts_.

also my response to reviews:

**Manaking,** thanks for the review first of all . i'm glad you like it.

**Whisperedthreats,** yes it is long, and it'll probably get longer before i'm ready to wrap it up. . and thanks for the review!


	3. WhiteOuts

Disclaimer: i don't own Phoenix Wright. if i did why would i write Fanfiction?

also, this one is sorta short. And guys? Sorry about the delay, i had a million things going at once. (i'm not kidding! Avatar series finale, Breaking Dawn (twilight finale), a camp that lasted a week (see videos on Youtube .), a head cold, This fic and schoolwork!)

Guys, please WARN ME if this Chapter is too OOC from the game! i wanna try and make this as in character as i can.

* * *

Franziska opened her eyes slowly. Her head was throbbing painfully, but she finally got a grip on her consciousness and looked around. She was in a courtroom. Almost too dark to tell except for the flashlight placed in the middle of the room. She quickly took notice that this was a courtroom that hadn't been used in a while, at least a year. She then noticed that she was tied to something, hanging from it in fact, by her hands. She was tied to the front of the judge's bench. In front of her face a rope hung in the form of a noose, ready to tighten itself to her neck. Sighing softly, she took note of her situation. Her mouth was bound pretty tightly, meaning any type of scream would instantly be muffled, and her hands were bound along with her feet. So she couldn't fight at all. She closed her eyes in annoyance.

"Well, look who's finally awake." The voice jumped out of the shadows and crept chillingly up her spine, her eyes snapped open and darted to the area the voice had come from. "We meet again, Franziska von Karma." He approached her quietly and reached for the tie on her mouth, "I'll only untie it if you promise not to scream," she nodded weakly, knowing this was not an empty threat.

"Who are you?" she asked as he untied the muffler.

"Heh, I'm not surprised you don't remember, after all, I never did show my face during that case. I spoke through a Transceiver that day. I believe you remember that case as the only case Phoenix Wright lost." Franziska knew the case he was talking about, but her confusion remained. Until she remembered the Transceiver he spoke through, and her brothers reaction to it.

"Shelly De Killer" she whispered.

"So you finally remember, it's an amazing thing isn't it? That I was actually ordered by someone to make you my next victim." He walked away from her with a very annoyed look on his face, "Sadly that stupid man took it on himself to follow you around like a lost puppy. What a stupid man." He scoffed.

Franziska froze, recalling her very own words from who knows how long ago, 'That sounds almost pathetic, you fall in love with someone and in that instant you'd do anything for them? It sounds like a lost puppy.' her eyes widened with shock, was that really how it was? Did the man she despise really, actually… love her?

She shook her head, shock and confusion ripping through her. "So, why haven't you killed me yet?"

"My orders were to kill you at a certain time. Tell me, do you see that clock?" he pointed to a timer, obviously powered by batteries. The timer sat halfway across the room, and it read Eight hours. "When that timer hits zero, that is the second in which your life will end." Franziska shivered and took that second to cry out.

"PHOENIX!" her voice rang loudly through the room echoing with the hidden fear and anger she felt. De Killer chuckled darkly. "You know, even if you screamed your loudest I doubt he could hear you. After all, he's on the second floor of the building and we're on the third."

"Then at least tell me this, who hired you to kill me?" Franziska asked, almost fearing the answer. De killer chuckled and walked away from her, pulling a small paper out of his pocket.

"You know, it's amazing how this request came in, a letter with a Pre-payment." He stuffed the letter back into his pocket. "In due time, I will tell you exactly who sent it, but until then, I will let you wallow in fear. After all, without knowledge of who sent the letter how can you really tell who the true killer is?"

Franziska sighed weakly, struggling to keep the fear at bay. "Can you at least tell me why I'm being targeted?"

"Yes." He smiled almost evilly. "That much I can tell you." He looked up at the ceiling almost thoughtfully, before quietly circling the room. "I must say, when I first saw the letter I was stunned by the request, but none the less, a client is a client. You are being targeted for you're failure of defeating one Phoenix Wright, in court."

"Wait, you said I'm being killed because I never beat Phoenix Wright. But I recall beating him in an old case involving a man named Matt Engarde." She said almost triumphantly.

"I remember that case well, but as I recall it was not you who were at the Prosecution stand, but one Miles Edgeworth." He reminded her darkly.

Franziska frowned, knowing she had to stall him for time, and that talking was a low way to go but she had no other choice. "Just because Miles Edgeworth prosecuted in my place doesn't mean it wasn't my case."

"On the contrary, you're friend may have filled in for you, but you didn't appear in the case until the last second. Therefore, it was never your case."

"You mean I'm being killed in cold blood because of Phoenix Wright?" De Killer nodded, causing Franziska's fear to rise.

"My client has written quite specifically about your failures. He specified that you were not meant to live as a Child of 'von Karma' heritage. he also specified how I was to kill you. And, although I found it quite gruesome, he paid me not only in advance but with interest, to make sure it was done."

"How exactly--," she stopped, her throat dry as bone, she swallowed weakly before fully asking her question, "How exactly are you going to kill me?"

De Killer looked at her almost curiously, he took a meaningful pause before answering, "Hanging" her eyes widened as he grinned, "I know it's gruesome, but that rope around you neck tightens by the hour. After your death I was to frame one Phoenix Wright for it, by driving this knife into your stomach." He held up a large sharp knife as he spoke. "I was amazed at how detailed he had sent in the request. All the way down to how to dispose of you after you died."

Franziska paled as she saw the timer tick down to six hours. Although she knew that was a fair amount of time, she doubted Phoenix would find her within that time. Fear clenched her stomach as she saw De Killer, fingering the terribly sharp and deadly looking knife. It would be only six hours before a rope hung her from the rafters and that knife, probably with Phoenix's fingerprints all over it, would be driven into her stomach.

As her thoughts whirled around in a circle, all she could concentrate on was escaping. Finally, a thought clicked in her head. She quietly sighed, hoping her plan would work. She watched as De Killer paced in content, surprised he wasn't going crazy from the timer like she was.

She fumbled with the ropes behind her back. Hoping her captor wouldn't notice her attempting escape. But she winced loudly when the rope ripped across her wrist causing a bright red burn to develop on her skin. De Killer noticed her wince and turned around.

"Trying to escape Ms. Von Karma?" he asked in a chiding manner, "You know it won't help considering we are trapped in this Courthouse, where will you run once you escape I wonder?"

She didn't answer. She knew, either way, it would all end up the same way, with her as a lifeless corpse laying on the floor. So, what was the point? She bowed her head, becoming lost in thought.

"I thought so," he said in a pleasant tone. "Once you escape there is no where to run to. No one will care if you're dead or not. Yet everyone will blame the same person once they find you, the one person you have been trapped here with, Phoenix Wright."

Her head snapped up, she suddenly realized why she had to escape. She had to see him again. She didn't know why but she had to. "I'll get out, just you wait. I'll get out of here and you will regret messing with Franziska von Karma!" she froze when he laughed.

"Perhaps a bet is in order." He said darkly, "How about this Ms. Von Karma, if you escape within ten minutes, I will give you one hour before I hunt you down. If you don't get out within that time, I will cut you down from there and show you who it was that sent me the notification to bring your life to an untimely end."

She stared at him in disbelief. It wasn't fair was it? On the one hand, she wanted desperately to see Phoenix again, she didn't even know why, she just did. On the other, she wanted to know who it was that sent for her death. She then glared at him, "Why make me choose?" she asked, dazed slightly by the weight of the choices.

"Simple, because it gives you the choice all people face. The Curiosity of the human mind or the loving arms you know will greet you at the end of the hall? Another aspect of it would be: Life or Death?" she watched, mortified as he began pacing, fingering the knife almost lovingly. "On the one hand, you go through life, loving the way everything seems to fall into place. Knowing you are being guided through such ease by following in someone footsteps," he cut off as she snarled at his last comment. "On the other hand" he continued darkly, "Death's sweet embrace seems almost too comforting when you walk your own path. So, Ms. von Karma, Which path will it be?"

Franziska felt the ropes around her wrists loosen slightly. She pulled away from them and yelped when they snapped loose and she fell to the floor, barely missing the noose that had hung in front of her. Standing, slightly disoriented, she grinned at him. "I choose life. Not because I follow in someone's footsteps, that age is over. I follow my own path, welcoming the challenges with an open arm!" She then approached him, "But, I am not leaving just yet." She said darkly.

"Why not?" he asked, "It would certainly give you more time to live would it not?" He frowned as she shook her head.

"Tell me who it was. Tell me who tried to have me killed." She asked angrily. She glanced at the paper in his hand before ramming him into the nearby wall. She then stole the paper from his hand before running out the door. Leaving De Killer in shock of what had just happened.

* * *

As Franziska stopped near the stairs, she opened the paper almost nervously. Her hands shook as she smoothed out the small white paper. She could make out the words from the window light, but she immediately regretted even asking about the little paper. Because the letter seemed to shout itself out to her as tears pricked her eyes.

"'Shelly De Killer,'" she read almost painfully. "'The fact of my Daughter's attempted success as a Prosecutor has been brought into light recently. Being of von Karma Heritage, I cannot let this stand. Although I am perfect, I ask of your assistance for I feel someone will know if I were to murder my own child.'" Franziska stopped and took a ragged breath. "'Lately I've noticed from my jail cell that not only has Edgeworth failed at defeating one Phoenix Wright in court, but my own daughter. My own flesh and blood failed to bring his perfect record to an end.'" She stopped and gulped weakly, "'I have chosen to forgive Edgeworth, only because his heart was never in this, he was never a von Karma. My daughter however, being of von Karma heritage, never listened to me. For this I feel she must be punished.'" Although the letter went on in crisp, clear detail about how the murder was to happen, including how to dispose of the body, she found herself unable to read any further. She leaned away from the letter, holding her arm over her mouth to keep from vomiting. The one thing that leaped out at her, more than anything, was the signature. "'Manfred von Karma'" she gasped weakly as the truth leapt out at her.

Her own father, the man she had lived to impress, had wanted her dead from the beginning. She fell to her knees while shaking uncontrollably, sobs racking her frame weakly. She quietly dropped the letter and cried openly. The letter fluttered down the stairwell, disappearing from view. How could she have been so stupid, to want to follow in his footsteps? Her eyes opened as she wrapped her mind around one thought, 'Phoenix was right, my father is nothing but a monster.' She squeezed her eyes shut, fighting down the bile that rose swiftly in her throat.

She stared down after the paper with shock. Finally, as the horrible truth rested in her mind, everything went black, and she fell openly into the darkness that eagerly engulfed her. Before blacking out completely, she heard footsteps echoing from down the hall.

* * *

Slowly she opened her eyes. She was back in the courtroom, though she was now only tied to a chair, but this time she couldn't move at all. A soft sigh grabbed her attention from across the room.

"You know, I had hoped you would put up more of a fight, but in fact I found you unconscious at the end of the hall. I guess even a von Karma isn't perfect at keeping their emotions in check." She didn't answer and he grinned darkly. "What's the matter, Ms. Von Karma, can't handle the truth as it stares you in the face?"

She snarled as she looked up into his eyes. The timer read four hours. She had four hours until he'd kill her. Four short hours before the thin thread of life that kept her here would be cut. She had to get out of there, soon.

None of that mattered though did it? She quietly fought back the tears, trying desperately to keep her eyes open. The only image that filled her mind when her eyes closed was that of her father's signature on the letter. She blinked and choked back a weak sob, how could she have been so blind? How could she trust her father, who hated her very existence? Her older sister had never been disobedient had she? Yet here she was, a prosecutor, strictly disobeying what her father had wished. She squeezed her eyes closed and bowed her head. "If this is what Papa wants…" she whispered, not bothering to finish the sentence.

"Finally accepting the truth Ms. Von Karma?" De killer asked. "Have you finally accepted the truth of the matter? You never deserved to be who you are. You are a failure."

Just then a loud report echoed through out the room, the door cracked slightly. De killer pulled a gun from his pocket and approached the door cautiously. "I know you're there Wright!" Silence followed this outburst. Had he scared Phoenix off?

In that instant, many things happened at once. The door shattered and a fire axe flew across the room embedding itself into the wall. Phoenix ran in, a bag tied to his waist, and dove for cover behind the bench as the gun fired. A bullet scraped his shoulder and he snarled in pain. Finally, Franziska stared, stunned and unable to move as De killer aimed to gun at her.

"Stand up, Wright, unless you want me to kill your friend here." Phoenix stood slowly, his right hand was covering his left shoulder which was bleeding badly. His gaze shifted from De killer, to the gun and then to Franziska. As soon as his eyes met hers, she realized just how prepared Phoenix was to fight De killer.

"Drop the gun," Phoenix said darkly.

De killer laughed, "Or what? You'll attack me?" he pointed the gun at Phoenix again, but Phoenix didn't dive for cover, he simply stared down the barrel. Franziska was sure either she had gone crazy, or Phoenix was starting to smile.

His grin widened and he picked up what looked like a harmless blanket from the ground next to him. He leapt over the wooden platform and rushed at de killer who looked, at this point, beyond bewildered, but he took aim with the gun while grinning darkly. Phoenix yanked the blanket over de killer's head as he fired the gun, making the bullet fire through the cloth and off into the wall. Phoenix pulled out a rope from his and tied it around the blanket, securing it to De killer. He snarled at how easily fooled he had been and ripped the blanket in two before aiming again.

Just as he was about to fire, Phoenix pulled a long thin piece of leather from the bag and snapped it at De Killer. The whip itself was effective and knocked the gun from his hand cutting it deeply, but the rebound caught Phoenix in the mouth cutting his lip wide. De Killer stepped back, grasping his hand which had begun to bleed and knocked the flashlight from the table. It turned off and cast the entire room in darkness.

Franziska screamed at the resulting black. Not because it was so dark, but because the only thing she could see was her father's word written on that damn paper. She squeezed her eyes shut and called out, "Phoenix!" she was quickly cut off by a hand over her mouth, she eyes snapped open, meeting with his soft silvery brown eyes, she relaxed only a little as he began to untie her.

"Are you ok?" he asked, whispering gently as though not to scare her. She turned and looked at him before hugging herself to his chest and sobbing weakly. She shook her head, although physically she was fine. She was mentally scarred by her father's words.

"You were right" she hated herself, she was being so weak, but as her fathers words flashed again in her head she reminded herself she never wanted to be like that. "My Father is a monster." She relaxed completely when his arms wrapped around her. She almost completely forgot that De Killer was in the room. Until a gun shot was heard, the bullet zipped past them and ricocheted off the wall before hitting the floor.

She gasped and clutched tighter to Phoenix as he picked her up and carried her to the defense bench, he helped her to hide under it before sitting next to her, "Stay here," he whispered, "You'll be safe"

"What about you?" she asked, he didn't respond, but he stood and leapt over the bench again. Franziska got to her knees and glanced over the bench only to look away and scream in horror as a gunshot rang though the room and Phoenix, who had been charging at De Killer, fell to the floor with a thud.

De Killer aimed at Franziska and fired, the gun clicked, out of ammo. He snarled and fled the room. Franziska got up and ran over to Phoenix, tears streaming from her eyes. "Phoenix, please, speak to me." She knew it sounded stupid, but if he even made a sound she knew he'd be ok. That was all she needed. She didn't get a response, and in fear placed her head against his chest. He wasn't breathing, "Phoenix, Please." She gasped weakly, But Phoenix remained motionless.

* * *

Nerxt chapter is called 'Thunderstorms', it's like 'Whiteouts' but it focuses on Phoenix.

Reviews:

Silver case, Ace Attorney: theres no kissing here, not until later . (i'm not gonna spoil it!)

Bhawynn: i like that image too, it made me laugh like crazy while i was writing it. (which i might add it sad as heck .)

Manaking: in a way it reminds me of Lost too. though i never watched Lost so i shouldn't be talking XD

BiOCaAM: thanks for the advice. i'd almost forgotten about it. you know whats funny? i had thought up this fic when i had never yet played the game, i had watched small bits and piece on Youtube o.o i hope this chapter didn't go too far OOC. .;

Jimmy Bonez: actually it had Snowed once in L.A. in the Ninteen-Fifties or Sixties. although i didn't witness it, there were plenty of Home Videos and Pictures on TV.


	4. ThunderStorms

ok, first why did i not update in almost a month? (sigh) because, i've got more work than i know what to do with. No, that's not a lie, college isn't easy.

but alas, i've done it. i've updated (hits head on wall). as a warning don't expect anything within the week. i used to be able to pull it off, but my schedule is getting tighter and tighter each week. making it less and less likely i'll update when i want to. i did plan on having this a week after 'White-outs' but i started college right when i began typing this out.

again, PLEASE SAY IF IT'S TOO OOC! i want to try and reain with them in character.

obviously i don't own Phoenix Wright, if i did i doubt i'd be wasting my time writing this fanfic.

* * *

All Phoenix could feel was his head pounding painfully. His eyes opened and he winced as everything in his vision was spinning wildly. He ran his fingers through his hair, wincing when his fingers brushed where he'd been hit. He sat up and looked around. The darkness suddenly frightened him. He was alone, completely and utterly alone. The roar from the storm outside was magnified in the room. Almost immediately, Phoenix had the sense that something was wrong.

He picked up the flashlight in front of him and turned it on. It cast a pale glow around the room. The faint beam landed on Franziska's whip, which lay almost as in waiting to strike like a snake. Cautiously he reached out with his foot and kicked it lightly. The whip flopped and clattered lightly to the ground. Sighing weakly Phoenix picked up the item and examined it. He was surprised at how light it was. The leather felt smooth, almost like it was made of cloth instead of leather. He then looked at the handle. Engraved in the leathery surface was the name 'von Karma'.

"Franziska" he whispered. He looked up in alarm when he heard a door slam from down the hall. He then noticed the state of the room, a lamp lay broken at his feet and the side table near the door had been knocked down. It was then he realized what had happened, and everything clicked into place. He dropped the whip in shock and searched the room with the flashlight. A quick sweep of the room revealed n blood and no body.

He sat back down and buried his face in his hands. He sighed deeply, trying to remember what happened. But only an empty black filled the confines of his mind. He looked up and sighed darkly. "Now what?" he whispered to himself hopelessly. He buried his face in his hands and leaned back, wincing as his head hit the back of the couch.

He ran down the hallway, towards a door at the end of the hall, "Franziska!" he yelled loudly, his voice echoed loudly around him as he ran. A scream rang loudly and painfully through his ears in response. He ran faster, everything around him was a blur. The doors in front of him burst open and he ran in, looking around wildly. "Franziska?" he asked weakly, quietly looking around the room. The doors slammed behind him and he turned around, and gasped. An enormous creature reared its head and roared in his face.

Phoenix sat up and gasped weakly, the room spinning wildly in his vision. He sighed weakly as his vision stopped spinning and everything came into focus. His fist closed around the whip in his lap and he stood up. He lay the whip back down on the couch and sighed. He began to examine the room closely, looking for any signs of a struggle, any sign that may lead to Franziska's whereabouts.

As he searched he began noticing small cuts in the floor, as if someone was struggling to stand, or if they had been dragged. He followed the small marks and found himself staring at the knocked over table, and his eyes landed on a card, small and almost unnoticeable, lying right next to the over turned table. He picked up the card and looked closely at it, and slowly, every piece of _that_ case clicked back into his mind, he slammed his fist on the wall and screamed.

"NO!" he snarled angrily while crushing the card as well as he could, he tossed the small offensive card into the trash, walked back to the sofa and picked up the whip, before walking out the door, his eyes burning with fury.

He walked down the hall, barely making a sound. He was listening intently for any sound from any of the rooms. Fear crept through his veins as he reached the end of the hall, to another stairwell. He sighed darkly before seeing a small piece of paper flutter from upstairs. It fluttered almost weakly and landed gently at his feet. He picked it up and stuffed it in his pocket, tempted to go up the stairs, but the sound of running footsteps alerted him and he ran back to her office to prepare himself for whatever would happen.

He read the piece of paper over and over again. The shock was beyond overwhelming. Phoenix crumpled the paper in his hand and ran his hand through his hair. He threw the paper across the room, where it bounced off the wall and landed in the trash.

With a broken sigh Phoenix stood. As though facing a deadly opponent, he sidestepped the couch and stepped back to the wall. He looked around almost curiously as if searching for something. The ladder on the adjacent wall caught his eyes and he ran over to it, and without a second thought, he began climbing.

A loud slam echoed across the walls as Phoenix found himself facing back down, having reached the ceiling of the office through the ladder on the wall. The doors had slammed open and a dark figure entered the room.

"I know you're here, Phoenix Wright." Phoenix fought back a snarl as he recognized the voice as De Killers'. "You know, I was amazed to find you hanging out with the prosecutor I was sent to kill." Phoenix's eyes widened and the letter raced through his memory.

"You murderer." Phoenix whispered, causing De Killer to face him. He snarled angrily and slinked back as De Killer began walking towards the ladder.

"You know what, Mr. Wright? It truly is a crying shame, if only that girl had done what her father told her, if only she hadn't tried her best to impress him, we wouldn't be in this situation. You are a simple defense attorney, trying to defend that stupid girl to your own demise. The girl is trying to simply live up to what her father wanted in a child." De killer sighed, "and yet neither of you seem to understand the basic complications of what this causes. You under minded yourself as a simple man trying to save a friend, unknowingly you found yourself closer to her did you not? Then there is that stupid girl, tied and unconscious at the current moment. She was so determined to prove herself right that she fell right into your clever little unnoticed trap." De Killer grinned and looked Phoenix right in the eye, from the floor below. "Do you know of which trap I speak, Phoenix Wright?"

Phoenix felt his heart skip in that moment as he realized what De Killer meant. Phoenix closed his eyes and held back a scream. As he realized she could still be alive and, without another thought, launched himself at De Killer. They tumbled and crashed heavily into a chair, Phoenix quickly took the advantage and picked De Killer off his feet and slammed him up against the bookcase.

De Killer easily pulled himself away from the bookcase and pulled out his gun. The pistol gleamed almost in warning and Phoenix dived behind the couch as he fired. Phoenix stood as he took aim again and charged him, knocking him over as the gun fired again into the wall. De Killer punched Phoenix and reached for his gun. Phoenix snarled and stood up, stepping on De Killers' hand. His scream tore through the air as Phoenix picked up the gun, and hit him with it. He then grabbed at De Killer, dropped the gun and slammed him back up against the wall angrily.

"Where is she?!" he yelled, his voice echoing menacingly off the wall. "Tell me where you're hiding her before I bash your brains in!" Phoenix snarled, raising his fist. De Killer laughed humorlessly. "What are you laughing at you cowardly jerk?!" Phoenix yelled, ready to throw the punch, the blood boiling heatedly in his arm as he pulled back.

"You don't have the heart to hit me Wright. You won't do it and we both know it." Phoenix's fist curled tighter, his nails digging into his palm. Blood trickled from his knuckles. Unaware of the pain, Phoenix swung his fist at De Killer, whose eyes widened in shock. Phoenix's fist connected with De Killers face with a sharp snap, De Killer slumped and blinked widely before jolting out of Phoenix's grasp, picking up his gun and vanishing down the hall. Phoenix stared after him and sighed deeply before walking over to the couch and picking up Franziska's whip. He ran his fingers over the leather and grinned. He then walked out the door and began Searching for Franziska.

In the first room he searched, he immediately noticed there had been a ransacking. A large jacket lay on the table, untouched, as though cast aside in search for something more important. Phoenix picked it up and held it under the flashlight where he read the tag, "'Bullet-Proof Jacket.'" He grinned, "I do believe I need to mention a certain detectives' name when this is over." He said as he quickly pulled off his shirt and put on the bullet-proof vest beneath it.

After putting on the jacket and redressing, he walked down the hall searching for anything else that may help him. A large fire case caught his eye on the wall, 'break in case of emergency' read clearly in black letters on the clear glass. Phoenix stared into the box, where at the bottom, lay a large fire axe. He then smashed his elbow into the glass, grabbing the axe and pulling his arm out. Big, thin scratches lined his arm. He effectively pulled his sleeve over the cuts and then prayed silently that they wouldn't bleed.

Further down the hall he began searching each room, confirming the fact that Franziska was being held captive on the third floor. He glanced out the window of one room. The snow was still falling heavily. He was sure that it wouldn't stop any time soon.

He walked back to the office and began thinking about how to find Franziska. He sat down in anger and buried his face in his hands. He could hear his heart pounding painfully in his chest. A loud scream suddenly tore through the air, echoing off the walls and ringing into Phoenix's ears.

"Phoenix!"

He stood up and stared down the hall where the scream had originated. He glared darkly and grabbed the axe and the whip from the table and ran towards the scream. He ran up the stairs two at a time.

The third floor hallway was pitch black. Phoenix could only see a few feet in front of him. He walked slowly, listening intently for anything, even the smallest sound. As he walked, the thought of how much time Franziska had left haunted him, and he stopped in front of a courtroom door.

Glaring at it, he muttered. "If she's not here…" he gulped, stopping himself from finishing the sentence. He stepped up to the door and kicked it, hard. The sound resonated and echoed loudly around him. The door in front of him cracked. It was shortly followed by a voice and Phoenix then knew he'd found the right room.

"I know you're there, Wright!" Phoenix didn't answer, he grinned. Knowing very well what would happen by the time this was over. Inhaling sharply, he pulled the fire axe from his side and threw it as hard as he could.

The door practically shattered from the force, the axe embedding itself on the opposing wall. Phoenix ran in and dove for the bench, the gun fired loudly and he screamed in pain as the bullet pierced his left shoulder. He landed and gasped weakly. He grasped at his shoulder as De Killers' next words echoed through his head.

"Stand up, Wright, unless you want me to kill your friend here." Phoenix glared at the underside of the bench and snarled before carefully using his good arm to right himself, and stood up. He was shaking only slightly.

"Drop the gun." Phoenix said darkly, reaching into the pouch at his side, his bloodied fist closed onto a cloth and he prepared to use it to his full advantage. He held back a smirk as De Killer laughed maniacally.

"Or what? You'll attack me?" his voice lowered to the point where only Phoenix could hear. "You don't even have a weapon. You're powerless, Wright." Phoenix grinned and said darkly.

"Just because I appear defenseless doesn't mean I am." With that he leapt over the bench, pulled out the blanket and yanked it over De Killer's head just as he fired the gun again. He pulled a rope from the bag and tied it around the blanket while De Killer was confused.

Phoenix turned as the blanket ripped and reached into the bag again, this time his bloodied fist closed around the leather handle of the whip and pulled it out as De Killer took aim again. He snapped the whip at the gun and felt the entire whip move with his arm, the strained leather reached out and slapped across De Killers hand, slicing it open. He then stared as it snapped back and slit across his lower lip, cutting it wide open and making it bleed. He grabbed at his lip as De Killer knocked the flashlight from the table plunging the room into darkness. Phoenix gasped as a horrified scream tore through the air around him. The scream that alerted him to the very person he had been searching for.

"Franziska." He whispered to himself in shock. He ran over to where she was, her eyes were shut tight and she looked almost like she was crying, he put his hand on her shoulder and almost immediately regretted it as she screamed again.

"PHOENIX!" she screamed. Phoenix placed his hand over her mouth and looked her in the eyes as they opened. All Phoenix could see was absolute fear and shock in her bright blue eyes. The fear waned and she stopped screaming. He quietly untied her arms and began to untie her feet.

"Are you ok?" he asked as he cut the ropes that bound her to the chair. She quietly turned to him, tears pricking the sides of her eyes. Without a word she clung to him, sobbing weakly. Phoenix was bewildered as she looked up at him.

"You were right." Suddenly as she spoke, the letter he had found flashed in his memory. And he hugged her as she continued. "My father is a monster." Phoenix hugged her close, but suddenly became alert as De Killer stood up and fired again, the bullet zipped past him and bounced off the wall. Phoenix picked up Franziska and ran for the bench, diving behind it and holding her down. He looked her in the eye and wondered if she was alright.

"Stay here" he whispered, aware that De Killer was suddenly pacing, as though anticipating him to fight. Knowing he couldn't let this get any worse he tried to console her. "You'll be safe." He regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth, her eyes betrayed the worry she held and she stared at him for a moment.

"What about you?" Phoenix couldn't respond, he just couldn't tell her. He knew how this would end. At least she would be safe. Sighing darkly to himself, he let her up and signaled for her to stay under the bench. Knowing what he'd have to do, he stood up and stared at De Killer as he stopped pacing. He climbed over the bench and stood there waiting as De Killer took aim again, right at his heart.

"Why don't you run?" De Killer asked in a low voice.

"I know if I die in her place you can't hurt her." Phoenix responded quietly. The indescribable urge to flee over took him, but he stood his ground, shaking slightly. The pain from the bullet in his shoulder was suddenly gone. All he could see was the gun that was now aimed for his chest. He took a deep breath and ran at De Killer.

The gunshot rang in his ears, followed by a horrified scream from behind him. The bullet hit his chest roughly, he felt it embed itself into his shirt, and then he remembered as the pain, instead of centering itself, spread through his shoulder and his arm. He felt his back hit the floor and gasped, the pain knocking the breath out of him.

The horrified scream echoed in his ears again. He wanted to respond but he was unable to recover. He tried to breathe in, but the pain ripped through him and he found himself unable to move as Franziska began sobbing into his chest. , "Phoenix please, speak to me." she cried. Phoenix closed his eyes weakly, darkness filling his vision. His hearing began to fade, all he could hear was Franziska whispering, "Phoenix, please." In that instant, his world went black.

* * *

'Ice storms' is next. not much else to say.

**Charxelle:** Thanks, i'm actually shocked i made you like Feenziska (i'm sorry XD)  
**  
The Unknown Alias: **Thank you, the aftermath is interesting, i can tell you that much :)  
**  
HinataLoveNaruto: **Romeo and Juliet ending? i don't think i should, although yes, it is an interesting concept. it's also a bit depressing and something it telling me i shouldn't. as for sequels? no. just no, i'm sorry but sequels aren't my thing at all. i've done sequels and it ended BADLY. very badly, i nearly ruined the original story and ended up deleting the entire thing i had posted. Also, Phoenix doesn't seem like the cheating type. it would, in a sense ruin his character. sorry.  
**  
Brandon: **Considering Franziska has been using the whip for a longer period of time, i'm sure she's better at it than him.


	5. Ice Storms

Well guys, i'd really appriciate you reading this first, not only will it explain why i haven't updated. But it'll explain my future absence.

First of all, thanks for being patient. it was kinda hard pulling this one out but i finally got it... so why did it take so long?  
Remember that college class that i said was easy? it wasn't, i studied quite a lot and when i did get the chace to write, all i'd get was a huge dose of writer's block. no i'm not kidding, it got worse when the class finished. i tried every trick in the book for beating it, but nothing worked. Until, i went away for Christmas. then it was like a huge wall was broken and I could Write again. Sigh. none of you will believe this next part, we got home and i noticed something was wrong with the computer.... The motherboard was burning out...

So, i plugged in my Flash drive and saved what little i could, (which included 'Icestorms') and right after i unplugged it, the poor motherboard had it's last fizzout and died. so, i got a new comp. Sadly, as i started reworking everything, writers block started to return, and so i did my best, and finally pushed myself to finish it tonight.

so, how long will i be gone this time? around six months, maybe a littler longer. why? well i'm taking four college classes now, and right when i'm done, guess what? i'm moving, that's right, from one home to the next. i'll be sure to back up EVERYTHING, just in case -.o

but guys, with all that (and my free days only being weekends and a huge workload.) i don't think i'll be able to update for a while, i mean i start school in three days which is why this is so rushed. i can try and work on 'Monsoon' but there's little hope for an update anytime soon.

I do NOT own Phoenix Wright, i simply borrow their awesome characters to make this story.

and once again, alert me if they seem OOC.

* * *

Phoenix groaned weakly as he opened his eyes. The room was dimly lit by a light in the window, hidden by the curtain. He looked around the room and froze when his gaze landed on the sleeping figure on the couch across from him. Her hands, though unbound, were severely lacerated, and she held a heavily guarded air about her, as though ready to attack anyone that came near. The whip that was her trademark was firmly grasped in her hand. She would look almost threatening, if it wasn't for the pained look on her face.

Phoenix gasped as the immense damage in his chest made itself known, he gasped sharply and clutched at his chest weakly. The pain spread through his chest, his shoulder and down his arm. He groaned weakly as he sat up, and sighed weakly as the pain lessened. He looked at the table which now held his Bullet-Proof vest, a pair of tweezers, a large heap of bandages, a sewing kit, a small mountain of towels covered with what he now realized was blood and at the end of the table lay a small bag with two bullets in it. He stared, absolutely stunned by the tiny little pieces of metal. Although the damage had been spread out to prevent his death it felt as though he'd been hit by something much bigger.

"Oh," Phoenix nearly jumped out of his skin as Franziska stood up, "You're awake."

Phoenix couldn't stop himself from staring at her. "That's what the pain tells me." She glared in response, as though angered by his stare. "What's all this about?" he asked, gesturing to the contents of the table. Franziska blinked and looked almost ashamed; she quickly regained composure before answering.

"You were bleeding very badly, to the point where you would've died if I didn't do something. So, I got the bullets out of you before it could cause any more damage and sewed you up as best I could." She then looked away, a flush apparent on her cheeks. Phoenix couldn't help but grin.

"It's amazing; how a perfect prosecutor finds the fact she can do emergency surgery without a license utterly embarrassing." He chuckled as she flushed a deep red, almost maroon. "At least you got it out." He pointed out. She glared darkly at him.

"You know, if you hadn't pulled that foolish move in the damn courtroom I wouldn't have had to pull a patch job, and we wouldn't be stuck in this situation." Phoenix's eyebrow tilted and his smirk dropped as she walked up to him. "Why did you pull that anyway? Why on earth would you pull such a foolish and messed up move? You are always such a coward, so why did you do it?!"

Phoenix quietly contemplated her question before answering. "Edgeworth would kill me if I left you in there." She glared. "Besides, if I did leave you there, you'd be dead by now, and since we're the only ones here other than De Killer who is hiding somewhere, they would all have blamed me for your death."

She rolled her eyes, "Yet, somehow I don't believe your story."

Phoenix gulped almost weakly. The magatama in his pocket glowed warmly. He could see the chains suddenly bolting and clicking in front of him, His own personal Psyche-locks. They glowed ominously and gave off a sense of impending destruction. Phoenix then knew why no one who had Psyche-locks ever gave up their secrets. The sense of doom was overwhelming and sent his senses whirling. His heart felt incapacitated and his lungs felt restricted. It was all he could do to keep from passing out. He shook his head weakly, "I swear, Miss von Karma, why would I lie to you?"

Franziska looked almost skeptical, she sighed darkly and sat down next to him before turning to face him. "I still don't believe you Phoenix." A delicate eyebrow rose when he simply stared. "Are you ok?"

Inside, his heart was on fire. The words 'I still don't believe you' rang in his head and one of the five locks located around his heart shattered, he then began to hyperventilate and sighed weakly again, to the question 'are you ok?' all he could manage was, "still hurts".

Franziska stared at Phoenix. He looked almost as if he was having a heart attack. His eyes seemed incredibly dull and he was breathing heavily. He was staring straight ahead as if staring into the face of Death itself, his eyes wide. Worried she carefully grabbed his shoulder. He simply looked at her and breathed deeply before calming down. "What was that about?" she asked.

"It was nothing. Just the pain." Franziska glared at him as if seeing through his masquerade. He sighed darkly and sat up, only to be pushed back down by Franziska.

"Tell me." She said almost demandingly. He glared at her as a second Psych-lock broke in front of him. He shook his head again, she snarled in agitation and got up, going over to the couch opposite him and sat and stared at him. He sighed weakly.

Before Phoenix could answer her however, a loud rumble filled the air. Phoenix and Franziska exchanged a glance before running to the window. A large snow plow was driving down the road, followed by a large procession of cop cars, S.W.A.T. teams and search parties. The cars stopped every now and then to drop off their specific search parties. Both Phoenix and Franziska watched as at least ten people ran from a S.W.A.T. van into the Courthouse.

Phoenix then noticed out of the corner of his eye, a large cut hidden by the lacerations on Franziska's hand., he quietly placed his hand over hers causing her to jump and pull away, "it's nothing" she muttered quickly, pulling away. Phoenix grabbed at her hand again, and while holding it palm up he examined the large cut that blossomed across her glove. The torn fabric slightly damped with blood, He carefully pulled it from her hand exposing a large gruesome cut that lashed across her palm. Franziska sniffed, a sound that startled Phoenix.

"De Killer came back after you passed out, he pulled out a knife and tried to finish you." A weak sniffle tore from her as she suddenly buried her face against his chest, she fought back tears from spilling out of her eyes. "I couldn't let him kill you, Phoenix, I just couldn't!" Phoenix wrapped his arms carefully around Franziska.

"It's ok." He whispered weakly, "its ok."

She shook her head in defiance. "No, it's not ok. You were right, my father is nothing more then a monster! He loathed my existence! He hated me from day one!" as she screamed she fell to her knees, tears rolling down her cheeks which were now flushed with embarrassment.

Quietly Phoenix got down on his knees and sighed, the pain in his chest pulsed and he gasped weakly. Franziska looked up at him and he stared back, their soft breathing echoed in each others ears. Then, without warning Phoenix lean forward and pressed his lips firmly against hers. The last three psyche-locks shattered in unison as soon as his lips were pressed firm against hers.

Franziska froze, his lips were incredibly warm, inviting even. Her heart fluttered weakly and her eyes began to close. She wanted so badly to kiss him back, but knowing the cops were on their way, it wouldn't exactly look good if she was found kissing her arch-nemesis. She blushed and pulled away, Phoenix looked at her in confusion. "Foolish Fool," She whispered as he stared at her.

"Only because I'm foolishly in love with you," He whispered back, her blush darkened as he stared at her. _How?_ She thought, _How could he, after my whipping him so many times, after insulting him so many times, How could he love me after all that? _He grinned lightly and whispered to her. "I love you." She fought back the tears and pulled up her whip. The police were coming, didn't he understand that?

Franziska froze when she saw the doors to the room slam open, Miles Edgeworth stood there looking both worried and beyond miffed. "Franziska." He said darkly. She glared at him before briskly snapping the whip in his face and walking out the door while saying darkly, "I told you I'd be fine." She push past him without another word but looking as though she'd been crying heavily.

"What did you do to her?" Edgeworth turned to Phoenix in anger, "What did you tell her?!" his voice was rising, but Phoenix could only stare after Franziska, who was still retreating, as the bullet wounds began pulsing in their place in his chest, it caused him to wince. Then the black void returned, engulfing Phoenix completely as he hit the floor.

* * *

The Hospital monitor bleeped endlessly, the pain was unbearable. All Phoenix could feel was a horrible ache in his chest and arm, his throat was burning from what felt like a tube being forced down to his stomach and his nose burned from the scent of medication. His eyes fluttered open weakly and he found himself eye to eye with a blank wall. The nurses hovered by their station talking aimlessly amongst themselves. Phoenix blinked. Edgeworth had seemed awfully angry hadn't he? He recalled how for some instance he'd been riding in the ambulance, with Franziska nearby…

Now that he remembered, where was she? He leaned forward in his bed, not caring for the wires around him and hissing when it signaled a machine to announce his now unsuccessful escape. The nurse came in and checked the wires before tapping a button on the machine, "Mr. Wright, what on earth made you want to get up, especially after only just waking up?" she asked as if scolding a small child. He glared at her though the tube in his throat before making a writing motion. The nurse quirked an eyebrow, and handed him a piece of paper and a pen from the side of the bed.

Phoenix wrote quietly without looking at the nurse who was now staring at him like he was supposed to come down with Nightingale syndrome. He handed back the piece of paper and tapped the edge as she prepared to read it. 'Where is Franziska Von Karma? Is she injured? Is she in the hospital?' The nurse glared at the paper before stating all too sweetly, "I'm sorry dear, this scrawl is hard to read, did you want some water?" Phoenix snarled angrily and tapped the paper harder, nearly knocking it out of her hand. "Excuse me Mr. Wright, I cannot read this okay? What do you want?" Phoenix snarled through the tube and tried his best to talk, but all that came out was mumbled gibberish. The nurse grinned. "You know, Mr. Wright, you could just ask for an interpreter."

Phoenix snarled again and this time he yelled his voice ringing loudly in the room, muffled only slightly by the tube, "Where the heck is Franziska!?" the nurse jumped at the anger that sounded itself clear as a bell as he yelled, "Where is she? Is she injured?! WHY AM I TIED DOWN!?" his yelling was probably being heard by the whole hospital but his seething kept him from thinking clearly.

"Ms. Von Karma?" another nurse had poked her head in, catching Phoenix's attention. "You didn't hear did you? Her brother Miles Edgeworth wanted her to go back to Germany, he claimed she's uneducated in certain fields of prosecution. She ran away from her home. Sad really, poor girl doesn't want to leave and she has every right to stay. Yet she was chased out of her own home." Phoenix stared, stunned.

The nurse who had run in when he had tried to get up snarled, "Why on earth do you want to talk to that girl? She's as self absorbed as her father was." Phoenix turned back to her and looked about ready to slap her.

The second nurse scolded her lightly, "You don't know that Natalie, she may be hiding her insecurities behind that whip. It's probably why she left it behind along with that note." Phoenix tried again to get up but the wires and things kept him from doing so.

"I know it very well Janice, that stupid girl never had a heart, do you hear me!?" Natalie shouted from Phoenix's bedside, "She's Heartless and she always will be!" she finished. Phoenix then snarled and once again attempted to sit up, this time succeeding much to both the nurses shock, he stared at Natalie angrily and snarled.

"Franziska Von Karma has more heart than you ever will." The tube in his throat muffled his words, but he couldn't have made himself more clear with those words, Natalie snarled and pushed him back down onto his bed as Janice stifled her giggles. Phoenix continued from his now laying down state, "You, you think you know everything about everyone simply because you read a tabloid? You're worse of a monster than she is if you believe that crap."

Natalie paled and stated darkly, "Do remember Mr. Wright, as long as you are stuck in this hospital, there is nothing you can do to prove whether or not she's heartless."

"Neither can you." Phoenix countered.

Natalie scoffed and exited the room, Janice shook her head and said quietly "That girl needs a lesson in manners."

Phoenix snarled in response, "No objections here."

* * *

Phoenix watched to T.V. Screen without thinking, he simply sat there, at some unknown hours early in the morning. His heart pounded frantically as he looked out his window. The wind and rain that had followed the snow storm was still flooding the area, resulting in many people fleeing their homes and offices for higher ground. The news showed no interest in the fact Franziska von Karma was missing. Only their opinions of how she deserved to be missing, and how many of the news' fan base hoped she'd never be found. The mere thought of how She'd be found made Phoenix sick and thus, he found himself unable to sleep. He glanced out the window again as a flash of lightning lit up the city with a ghastly terrifying light. In desperation he whispered, "Where are you, Franziska?"

A voice from the door startled him, "I'm right here" The woman was heavily cloaked, but her voice was altogether familiar. She walked into the room slowly, her heels being the only things unhidden by the cloak draped over her shoulders. She sat in the chair next to his bed as he stared quietly at her. Carefully, she pulled back the hood revealing her soaked hair and sullen eyes. She noticed he had been watching the news. "Liars, all of them. No one will understand I think, but it was not Schooling that Miles wanted to send me home for."

Phoenix carefully chose his wording as he spoke, knowing this was more delicate of a situation than he wanted to believe, "Where did you run to, when you first ran away?" His voice was kept low and quiet, only to the point where no one outside the room could hear.

Franziska blushed as she answered him, "Your office." She looked away in embarrassment when he chuckled.

"Somehow I figured you'd be hiding there." He looked straight at her, the T.V. announcing a flash flood warning, Phoenix quietly shifted in his bed turning onto his side and turning off the T.V. He turned to Franziska and asked, "Why did you run away?" She closed her eyes and turned away, it was evident she had been crying and a fading bruise revealed that Edgeworth had hit her for some reason.

"He doesn't…." she sighed and stopped, fiddling with the cloak nervously and biting her lower lip, she sighed to regain her composure and tried again, "Phoenix, He doesn't want me to go back for more of an education." She breathed deeply and Phoenix realized that whatever she'd say next must've been something that kept her from wanting to go back. "H-He had me betrothed to someone I've never met, and he wants to go back to Germany to marry this man."

Franziska was shaking, tears were slowly presenting themselves and sliding down her face. Phoenix took a deep breath and sighed before asking, "Why did he promise you to this person?"

She shook her head again before whispering something Phoenix could barely make out above the Heart Monitor, "I-It's complicated." His eyebrow raised slightly in confusion. She sighed, almost painfully, and whispered, more to herself than anyone else, "He found out." She looked slightly embarrassed before finishing her sentence, "He found out just how much I care for you." She looked away, blushing. "You're friend was right, I am just a little girl without my whip. I can barely keep myself from breaking down!" she cried out softly so as not to alert the nurses. "I'm not fit to be a Von Karma." She said with finality before looking out the window.

Phoenix sighed gently, "Good." Franziska looked at him almost in shock he simply looked back at her, his eyes burning with determination, "for you to be a von Karma was stupid, to think a person would depend purely on their own perfection, and throw away all else that seemed to matter to them in the world! It's idiotic and dumb that someone would think that perfection was all that mattered in life when you've lived so little of it! Perfection is only seen by those around you, and whether or not you are perfect doesn't matter to them. When they see you as a human being, that's when you know who you are, but never depend on that fact, unless you want to ruin what chance of life you had left." During Phoenix's speech, Franziska had been fighting back tears, but they spilled over as soon as he stopped speaking.

She had carefully pulled the hood of the cloak back over her head when a loud amount of noise outside the room alerted both of them Franziska stood quickly as if in a hurry, "I have to leave, before they find me." She looked at him warily, a look he returned with worry. She quietly walked over and kissed him fully on the lips, causing the all too obnoxious heart monitor to jump. Phoenix quietly watched as she swiftly pulled away and bolted from the room with a curt, "Goodbye, Phoenix." as the nurse soon ran in, the ruckus outside seemed to fade out, and Phoenix felt his head hit the pillow dully. The nurse fiddled with the machinery for a few moments before running out of the room quietly.

Phoenix looked out the window again fear clenching in his heart. "Please." He pleaded quietly, "Just let her be safe."

* * *

The next two days passed without much happening, save for the fact Phoenix was no longer stuck in intensive care and was allowed to be visited by whoever came along, he found himself even happier when they allowed him to wear his own clothes. Little did he know his happiness would be short lived with his next visit. Pearl Fey ran into the room looking almost angry, Maya was right behind her insisting on something. "What's wrong Pearls?" Phoenix asked as soon as he saw Pearl had tear trails on her cheeks.

She shook her head and simply pointed to Maya. "Did something happen that I should know about?" he asked, she simply shrugged, almost in disinterest. Pearl sat down next to Phoenix looking incredibly saddened, Phoenix sighed darkly before glaring at Maya, "What Happened?" his voice seemed to shock Pearl out of her reverie.

"Don't be angry with her! After all Mr. Nick you are supposed to be---" she was cut off when Phoenix glared lightly at her.

"Pearl," his voice still had a light edge to it when he spoke to her, "Let's the 'adults' resolve this matter, this doesn't concern you." Pearl sank back in her seat in alarm, she had seen him angry before but if he didn't know something it simply made him angrier, and she knew better than to mess with him when he talked like this.

"It's none of you're business first of all, Pearly was snooping around when she shouldn't have." Phoenix shook his head as she spoke, This was not like Maya at all, "Nick, it was nothing ok?! So she saw me kissing Miles it's no big deal!" Phoenix froze as Pearl let out a sob from behind him.

"You mean to tell me, that Pearls saw you kissing Miles Edgeworth?" Phoenix asked, Maya nodded and Phoenix sighed before turning to face Pearl who was still crying softly.

He grabbed a tissue box from the counter next to the bed and took a tissue from the box, he then dabbed away her tears and she looked up at him, "You and Mystic Maya," she whispered while still crying. "You were supposed to end up together!" she cried out with a sob, Maya looked away slightly ashamed.

Phoenix sat down next to Pearl and sighed, "You know what Pearls?" she looked up at him almost curiously as he continued, "Life, is not a Fairy Tale." Pearl was about to protest her knowledge of that when he continued again stopping her in her tracks, "Just because, you believe Mystic Maya and I are meant to be together, doesn't automatically mean we'll end up together, it's simply your hope that it happens, nothing on this earth is forcing us together Except you." She sniffled in response, "and just because you want us to be together, won't make it happen. It simply makes it harder for us, do you know why?" she shook her head 'no', tears were still trailing from her eyes Phoenix quietly finished as she listened, "It's because we are not meant to be together. Pearls, we don't love one another, and you thinking we are, is only making it worse for us to even think."

"So, you're not mad at Mystic Maya?" she asked, Phoenix turned back to Maya, the look in his eyes betrayed him, he was beyond angry, he was downright pissed.

"I'm actually more than angry with her, not because she kissed another guy, but because of who she kissed." Maya looked angry as well, while Pearl looked alarmed,

"First of all, 'Nick'." she spat crossly, "I can kiss whoever I want, and there really is nothing you can do about it. Second, you have no right to judge me! I'm Nineteen! I can do whatever I please!" Pearl had broken down again, as Phoenix began to pace back and forth from his bed to the opposite wall where the T.V. was mounted, now reporting a car accident nearby.

Phoenix sighed darkly, "First of all 'Maya'." He countered. His voice was quite horrifying to hear. "It's my apartment, therefore you abide by my rules." Maya snarled and shook her head in defiance. "Second, if you throw that crap at me again, then I will send you back to Kurain village and you can just damn well stay there." He snarled angrily, after all, Miles had been the one to drive Franziska out onto the street by herself. "and Third, if I catch You and Miles together, ever, then you best start running, because trust me, after what that asshole did I'm not willing to treat him kindly anytime soon."

Maya gulped lightly, having been driven into a corner, she asked in desperation, "You two used to be friends! What happened to make you hate him so much?!" Phoenix shook his head and picked up the paper with the article about Miles chasing Franziska from her home and tossed it carelessly at Maya who read the article before quietly looking up at him as he sat down on his bed. "oh." She whispered, "I didn't know things had gotten that bad, all he said was he wanted to send her back for schooling."

Phoenix scoffed, "and you believed him?" He sighed, "He was planning to send her back to force her to get married." Both Pearl, and Maya looked shocked, "Franziska came by in disguise and told me that herself."

"I'm sorry, Nick." Maya said sincerely, now that she understood the gravity of the situation she realized why Phoenix objected to her and Edgeworth being together. "but it won't stop me you know, "she said with finality while placing the paper back on his bed, "All I can do is wish you luck." Phoenix nodded, " C'mon Pearly."

Pearl quietly got off the chair and smiled, "Bye Mr. Nick, hope you find the special someone you're looking for." She said happily as she walked out the door with Maya, Phoenix quietly closed his eyes and sighed. It was amazing how someone could change so quickly, and in such little time.

He opened his eyes and stared at his hands, clenched tightly into fists. He sighed again and tried not to yell, it was getting late and he was tired, and besides, the nurses wouldn't release him the next day if he acted like he'd hurt himself. So he lay his head down on the pillow next to him, climbed into the bed and turned off the lights, before slowly closing his eyes. Though he looked peaceful, the heart monitor continued to show just how unsettled he really was.

* * *

Next chapter is 'Monsoons'


	6. Monsoons

Okay, I've got explaining to do, and lots of it.

First of all, i thank you all for the feedback, you have no idea how its been helpng me. although this time i may need it more than ever. why? because i've lost my touch and i know it.  
i worked on this a minimum of what, six, seven, maybe eight weeks? all spread throughout the year. why? a mix of things. many concerns and worries that have nothing to do with the story, and many of which had led to forget about the story at all.

Through out this past year i have been on here. Reading, and only reading. Much to my dismay, when i persued the story i either found myself unable to find a worthy twist to the plot, or found the part i had written so....ludicrous, that i'd erase it and try again.

Then i got into this, trying my darndest to make this chapter work. As always i ask for assistance. Tell me of anything that you think doesn't fit, the Characters, The Plot, ANYTHING.

before you read i just want to say, please forgive me, for although i swear on my life i will finish this story, i'm afraid an exact date can't be given. who knows, maybe a week, maybe a month. all i can promise, is that it'll be done this year.

This whole story/tale/fanficton, has been a large ongoing uphill battle. but now i'm hoping, it will be easier, this by far was the hardest chapter for me to write. not only for the plot but for the charaters, to keep the characters in line has been and will always be my main goal. when i finish i will go back and edit anything i deem needs redoing. who knows? maybe it'll be a good story once i finish updating.

So, with all that said, only two things remain.

One: I do not own Phoenix Wright or any of its Characters, i'm simply using them for this story and for the peoples amusement.

Two: Enjoy.

* * *

Franziska looked out the window of the ambulance as the windows of local buildings gave proof to how bad the storm had been. Despite the clouds that still hung threateningly in the sky, people had begun to emerge from their hideouts. She sighed as she looked at Phoenix's unconscious form, she had never told him, had she? How she loved him back. She bit her lip, how could she tell him? Without him either being crazy by the pain killers, or without him sighing and taking back what he'd said. She shivered weakly as the medics sat nearby, their eyes trained on her. Not because she was injured, but because she was found with a man who had been shot. She closed her eyes and quietly tried to settle her thoughts, only to have them fly out of her control and in that moment the one unbelievable truth exposed itself. She was desperately in love with Phoenix Wright.

As they unloaded Phoenix off the back on the ambulance, Franziska walked quietly behind. Feeling as if she were in a funeral march, she began to fight back the painful tears that threatened to overwhelm her, she stayed sitting near Phoenix in his room until the nurses finally accepted she'd be staying there. Phoenix was still out of it, and Franziska could hardly keep herself from sobbing until the pressure broke her.

She had to leave, before Miles decided to look in the hospital for her and find her in this condition. Slowly she stood and walked over to Phoenix's bedside; she leaned over and kissed his forehead before whispering quietly, "_Ich liebe dich_, _Phoenix Wright_." She then stood up and, while trying to keep her composure she walked out the door to go back to her home on the other side of town.

* * *

The snow had already begun to melt, slowly but surely. True, it wasn't going to be melted for a small while, but it was almost all anyone could talk about. The snow storm had wiped out most of the area, causing massive land slides and the edge of the ocean itself froze over. At least, that's what the radio warnings were telling Franziska. As she the car pulled into the driveway she felt her heart skip, Edgeworth's car was in front of the garage. This meeting would not end well.

She quietly climbed out of her car and shut the door, emphasizing each step on the concrete. Keeping at a slow pace, knowing very well what lay at the end of the pavement. She opened the door into the house and sighed, before placing her whip on a small table next to the door. Miles Edgeworth sat in the doorway to the foyer; his eyes had an almost evil quality to them. He sighed darkly and stood silently, treading over to the stairwell so she couldn't run.

"You know, I can't help but wonder what happened in that courthouse when you and Phoenix were alone." His voice was soft, but held a deep horrifying chill to it.

"You and everyone else," Franziska countered. "Just because my father adopted you into our family doesn't give you the right or the ability to lord over me and my personal life." She went to go up the stairs, only to be grabbed by her arm.

Edgeworth looked into her eyes, "Franziska, you need to tell me what happened."

"Why? Why on earth should I tell you anything, it's my business and mine alone. After all, the American Law states that I have a freedom of speech, if I want to tell you something I can tell you. If I want to stay quiet on the matter, I can." She pulled away from him and ran up the stairs, Edgeworth grabbed her arm pulling back her sleeves only enough for him to notice the rope burns.

"Franziska, what are those on your wrists?"

Franziska froze and stared at her arms, "It's not what you think--" Edgeworth swiftly cut her off.

"Did he do that to you!?" He yelled

"No, he didn't, he stopped it from being any worse!" Edgeworth could see Franziska was not backing down without a fight, and snarled in disgust before walking away.

"I don't even know why you protect him, he's a self-righteous bastard who doesn't give a damn about anyone else!" he yelled as he disappeared into the kitchen.

"You're worse than he is!" she snapped back as she quietly walked up the stairs to her room. Her thoughts jumbled in anger, she flicked on the lights in her room and the snarl she'd been holding back was let out. Her belongings had been packed up and only her dresser and bed had anything still out on them, her bed held old sheets. Obviously the ones she liked had been packed, and her dresser held pictures from her college years.

The college, she remembered, was where she had actually had friends. She didn't have to bribe anyone to fit in, and no one yelled at her if she moved slightly out of line. They laughed together at how ridiculous their lives were. They were always there when they needed to be.

Franziska sighed and collapsed on her bed, the top sheet kicked up dust, making her sniffle, she hated allergies. She snarled again. This was her punishment, her punishment for lying, then again her whole life was a lie; after all, she was a Prosecutor. She should be proud. However, all she felt was the terrible chill in her heart that said, 'this isn't right.'

She fought back the tears and turned over onto her back. She got up; she locked her door and walked over to the nearest box that held clothes. She ripped it open and packed as many as she could into a duffle bug. She didn't dare make a noise as she did so, her anger rising with each handful of clothing she haphazardly stuffed into the bag. Her mothers and fathers' voices echoed loudly in her mind, telling her to fold the clothes. Her anger pushed the voices away, and another one replaced it. 'You're twenty years old Franziska, you need to stop walking in someone else's shoes and start your own path.'

She froze. She didn't even breathe, the duffle bag fell from her hands and she fell to her knees. This is what she was reduced to, running away like a schoolchild, wandering the city until se could find some decent place to stay. She shook her head and looked closely and angrily at the duffle bag. Some of its contents were half spilled on the floor.

She stood up, picked up the duffle bag again and stuffed the clothes that'd been hanging out back in. She then walked to her closet where an old cloak hung, dusty and unused. She hung it around her shoulders and walked to the door, she looked one last time around her room before switching off the light and walking as quietly as she could down the stairs.

She stopped at the entryway, on one side of the door was the table with her keys, the other table held her whip, "Going somewhere?"

"That'd be none of your business, Miles Edgeworth."

"I could make it my business. You've probably wondered why half of your things were packed away."

"Yes I have actually, and I'd suggest explaining yourself." She didn't see the smile steadily growing on Edgeworth's face.

"It's because you're going back to Germany, I've told the press you wish to extend your skills in prosecution."

"What's the real reason?" Franziska asked, knowing the 'education' talk was a lie.

"You remember what your 'papa' said? When you were five? You were promised to someone. Even with him gone, I expect you to honor his wishes. You'll be back here by 10 pm, and you will not be late. We'll be leaving as soon as you get back."

Franziska fought back the anger and hatred that threatened to overcome her and merely nodded, Edgeworth left the room and without a second thought she grabbed her keys and walked for the front door, she froze however with her hand on the door knob. She glanced back at the whip and snarled, terrifying thoughts of her past resurfaced and without another thought she opened the door and ran outside, disappearing into the quickly falling night.

She drove through the city, her mind in a haze of disorder. She absentmindedly parked in a parallel parking zone and got out of the car, she grabbed the duffle bag and walked into the building.

The door Franziska stood in front of, 'Phoenix Wright: Attorney at Law' the plaque read in a simple black font on a cheap bronze backing, pasted to the glass. How stupid was it that she feared what lay behind that door? Was it simply nerves, or was it realization that this whole thing was a mistake? She slowly reached out and grabbed the handle, but instead of cold heartless metal, the knob was well worn. Not only by sunlight, but by usage. Despite the dark freezing hour, the small metal was still warm. She turned the knob and, slowly but surely, opened the door.

"Hello?" she called out, weary of whom would answer, but only the still silence greeted her. She flicked on a light and closed the door behind her. The rooms were all empty, devoid of any sign of life. The main entranceway was clean enough, a small vase bursting with flowers sat on a small table, with a stack of magazines and articles down on a lower shelf.

The kitchen area, however, was trashed, an empty pizza box lay on the counter, and the rest of the countertop was littered with plates and cups and various utensils. Somehow all the plates and utensils seemed to have been wiped clean.

Franziska winced upon looking inside the first bedroom. Obviously this was Mayas room, it was bright, pink, and above all, it was messy. Articles of clothing lay scattered about the room as if a miniature tornado had thrown them around. Despite the bright cheerfulness the room seemed to toss out, it had an air of seriousness. As if it had once been an office.

The second bedroom held a much more adult air about it. It was also littered with small artifacts from the Kurain village. This was most likely Pearl's room. The air of seriousness was masking, as if hiding whatever lay inside. Franziska didn't dare enter; after all, the young girl still had a nasty grudge on her.

Franziska stared quietly, the last room was gentle, soft even. Normal bedding, normal everything. The only thing that stuck out was how clean it was. No clothing stuck out of the dresser drawers. No stray hanger waiting for a lost coat. No sign at all of any misuse. Maybe Phoenix was tired of the unsightly mess in Maya's room?

Carefully placing her bag in the corner, Franziska didn't dare touch the bed, or anything else. She felt safe here, in this clean little room, why should she mess it up for her own gain? She sighed as she lay her head on her bag, though darkness was barely falling, exhaustion pressed down on her, and sleep soon enclosed her in a tight little bubble.

Franziska awoke with a start. Rain was pouring heavily outside and lightning and thunder accompanied it. She sighed painfully and looked around, her first thought was the power had gone out, and this being a residential neighborhood, there would be no back-up power.

Lightning flashed by the window, lighting the room for a split second. She could've screamed, shadows were thrown along the wall haphazardly, small and large shadowy demons were seen reaching for Franziska's hand. She grabbed the cloak and ran out the door, gasping in fear.

She ran with importance down the street, although she was scared, she did very well at masking it. She stopped at the corner near the hospital and sighed gently, listening to the rain pound mercilessly against her cloak. She bowed her head as the cars passed waiting for the crossing sign to change. The second it did she ran across the intersection as fast as her feet would allow. But she slowed down the second she got near the hospital doors.

She slowly entered the hospital, but she didn't dare take off her cloak. No one looked at her, no one even noticed her enter the room where Phoenix Wright was. She sighed gently and closed the door behind her waiting for him to wake up.

* * *

Her talk with Phoenix had been successful; she'd been able to tell him the truth. Not the whole truth, but at least he knew where she was and what was going on. She could only pray that nothing would happen to him in the next few weeks.

She walked down the street carefully, always glancing over her back. Yet, every time she looked, only darkness greeted her. Fear clutched at the very center of her mind, she walked into Phoenix's room without thinking, turned off the lights and lay down, using her bag as a pillow.

The darkness was blinding, but coupled with the strange house she was in, it was mortifying. No light, not even street lights or lightning, just pure, pitch black. Franziska felt blind. Like only her heart was leading her. She could feel the painful burning of fire behind her but in front of her, only a small path. Almost invisible, it blended with the dark, and swirled lightly around it, as if trying to comfort the scared prosecutor, but no comfort came to her.

She sat up and opened her eyes; the darkness was broken only by a lone street lamp outside the window. Ice was building on the small window's edges. Franziska shivered, she hated it here. She hated everything about it. The world she was in felt so alien, it was breaking apart her carefully constructed mask. Her fear, her pain, all unraveled for the world to see. Nothing to hold her back when a mistake was about to be made, no one to tell her no, no one to guide her.

She sighed gently and got up, she'd been feeling this for a small while now, and it terrified her, to the point of screaming. She walked down the hall, fighting back the dangerously slipping tears that threatened to spill over. She flicked on the light to the kitchen, after processing the damage she had cleaned it up till it was spotless, now that she looked at it, it felt even emptier than the other rooms. She sighed and grabbed her cloak. Maybe a walk would clear her mind?

She stood in front of the hospital doors, her knees shaking. She felt like a thief on her first run. What was she thinking? She wasn't safe here, she was sure Edgeworth had sent a search party after her. And yet in the soft glow of the hospital lights she felt safe. She felt as if she could not be touched. She shook her head to help bring her back to her senses; she then turned on her heel and ran.

Franziska walked into the apartment again, her head spinning wildly in a whirlwind of emotions. She looked quietly to her left and stared, how had she missed the entertainment area? She flicked on the light, which buzzed haphazardly above the small room. A 26" television sat in the corner, and a small DVD player lay on top of it. Small piles of DVDs were scattered across the floor, each pile looked like it was about to collapse. She walked over a looked at some of the DVDs, most were labeled with names of famous movies and had 'Maya' written across them in bold black lettering.

A few DVDs, however, looked like custom made DVDs. Many labeled with random things like 'Snow is evil', 'Maya loves rain', and 'Pearl hates wind'. Franziska smiled at these titles and began sifting through the custom DVDs, she froze however when her eyes landed on one labeled 'Wright vs. Edgeworth: Courtroom 3'. She carefully placed the DVDs she'd been skimming through on the floor and picked it up, another DVD lay beneath it labeled 'Wright vs. von Karma: Courtroom 1'. She knew Courtroom 1 all too well. It was where the trial against Matt Engarde had happened. It was also where she had been tied up. She shook her head to drive away the last memory of it.

Franziska bit her lip, almost in fear. Yes, her father had sold her out, but would he really dirty his hands with someone else's blood over something as small as a penalty? With a shaky hand she turned on the DVD player and placed the DVD inside, she turned on the TV and pressed play on the DVD player. She then watched as her fathers last trial unfolded.

As each scream of 'Objection!' that came from the small screen fell into Franziska's ears, she began believing her father less and less; and Phoenix more and more. Then finally, when the metal detector reacted to his right shoulder, she sighed. If it was in relief or acceptance, she didn't know. All she did know was, this was her father's legacy, brought down by a rookie attorney and burned alive for all to see. Just as the final verdict was handed down, Franziska felt her eyes grow heavy, turned off the TV and DVD player, walked to Phoenix's room and collapsed to the floor where her bag was. Sleep came as quickly as ever, burying her in the truth hidden behind the horrible, deadly lies her father had lay before her in a path of nothing more than pain and deceit.

It had been days since she had begun living in Phoenix's current residence, but it felt like an eternity had passed since those horrifying times in the courthouse. It became a ritual, Franziska would awaken, praying she wouldn't be caught, she watched every step she took, knowing her whip had been left at home. She'd begun wearing the clothes in the duffle bag; at least they were outfits that hid her identity better than the shabby old cloak she'd once been using. Needles to say she worried about what to do about her living conditions and how to deal with Edgeworth. She had not taken into account that Pearl fey would find her here.

When Pearl had found out about Franziska hiding in Phoenix's flat she seemed rather miffed at first, but when Franziska was finally able to tell her all that had happened and how her judgment had been clouded by her determination to live up to the Von Karma name, things seemed a little less tense than before, though Pearl was still a little on edge about Franziska living there in general.

Franziska sighed; she'd been living here in Phoenix's apartment for too long. Even though it'd barely been a week, she knew she had to face Edgeworth sooner or later. Since she had left her home a city-wide search had started. The police had been covering every alleyway, every cubicle, and every condominium. It'd been going on for about two days when Franziska had seen herself on local news for being spotted walking towards the hospital in the cloak; it was then that she had changed her wardrobe.

Franziska walked quietly out of the building, the snow had melted considerably, but ice layered every sidewalk, street and even the buildings themselves had thin layers of ice buildup. She shivered as the cold permeated her skin and practically encased her bones. She continued walking, unaware of the people around her, but alert of any lurking danger.

* * *

The hospital was busy as ever with victims of landslides, collapsing structures that had been weakened by the storm and many dying of hunger, fatigue, and thirst, it was no wonder. The hospital staff was fully occupied, tending to patients as they rushed in by the fistful, many with nasty looking injuries and many complaining of their weariness. Franziska did her best to ignore them all, both patient and doctor.

She snuck into Phoenix's room with a worried air about her. She felt so uneasy about this sneaking around, it just wasn't her style. She turned around and choked back a gasp, Phoenix was gone, no trace was left that he had even occupied the room, the bed was made and ready for a new occupant and all of his clothes and things were missing.

Franziska did her best not to let her panic show as she emerged from the room and approached the nurse's desk, the nurse sitting behind the barrier seemed tired, as though trying to recover from a long all-nighter or work.

"Excuse me?" Franziska asked in a way she hoped sounded different than how she normally sounded, "I'm looking for a friend of mine I heard was here and his name is Phoenix Wright." The nurse nodded and quietly began looking through the computer's data.

"It says here a Mr. Phoenix Wright was released this morning ma'am." The nurse said with an air that said she didn't really care about the matter.

Franziska hid her relief as she responded curtly, "Thank you."

Franziska walked quietly from the hospital; her heart pounding weakly. She slid slightly on the ice with each step as she hurried to his Office. Each step felt more and more slippery than the last. When she finally reached the door she had to hold on to the handle desperately for balance.

The room itself was quiet, despite having more than one person in it. Phoenix lay across the couch; asleep, dark circles lay under his eyes. He looked as though he hadn't slept well in the past few night of hospitalization. In fact, he looked more tired than when they had first taken him in.

Franziska sat down nearby, hoping not to wake him. Despite how quiet she'd been however, his eyes slowly opened.

"Hello." He said gently, obviously trying not to startle her. It didn't work. In her shock she'd almost fallen from the chair, much to Phoenix's amusement. He smiled as she got up and dusted herself off. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you."

"I wasn't scared, Phoenix Wright, you simply caught me off guard." She replied.

"There's a difference?" He quipped light heartedly. Franziska rolled her eyes as he asked, "So what happened, I thought we agreed that you only call me Phoenix from now on?"

"I'm so used to calling you by your full name that it's hard for me to talk to you in a casual way." She glared as he laughed.

"I thought you'd be used to talking on a first name basis since we were talking like that back in the courthouse." She smiled sadly at him.

"I'm afraid calling you by your full name after a few years can't be changed by a few days of 'first name basis'." Phoenix frowned at this, he'd been hoping for Franziska to lighten up, but she was as guarded as ever.

"Did Edgeworth get another lead to your whereabouts?"

"Not yet, there have been some times when I was spotted but other than that, no one knows." Phoenix nodded.

"Then we need to sort this out." He said gently.

* * *

The next few days did not bode well, more and more reports flooded in, not only of casualties but of rumors. The rumors had simply said 'Find Phoenix Wright and you'll find Franziska von Karma.' Needless to say the city-wide man-hunt grew after reports of rewards began spreading. This made the whole ordeal much harder to deal with than Phoenix had expected.

Franziska sat on the couch, her head leaning against the wall behind her, Phoenix sat at his desk, papers scattered across the surface in a manner that bespoke anger and frustration. The two of them had been up all through the night looking up things that would help Franziska get Edgeworth out of her hair. But unfortunately, no solution to the problem presented itself.

After a small while both Phoenix and Franziska finally came to the conclusion that the only way out was for Franziska to either turn herself in (which neither of them were very enthused about) or for her to move to another town (it had taken Phoenix days to convince Franziska that'd she'd be safe in doing so).

Franziska sighed, tossing another file onto the desk. Phoenix glared at the piling paperwork. Neither could voice their opinions, words didn't seem enough to describe it. All that could be done was the reading of different papers and the exchange of ideas.

* * *

Franziska glared at the house she had once called home. It looked a lot darker and more evil than nice now that she thought about it. Ivy had taken over the wall, and due to the winter storms' chill, the leaves were dead giving an unsightly, almost haunted look to the magnificent building. Where large lush rose bushes had once lined the path to the door only decaying bushes devoid of leaves remained. The grass had turned a sickly brown and a few of the shingle had been ripped from their housing and strewn across the lawn.

"To think I liked living here," she whispered more to herself than to Phoenix who sat in the passenger side of the car glaring darkly at the house.

"To think I wondered who lived here." He retorted slyly, "Only now does the house reflect the person living inside." He watched as Franziska bit her lower lip and nodded.

They both got out of the car and walked up the icy pathway, cautious of the thorn bushes that had once held rose blossoms. The house looked more decayed than ever up close, but it was not surprising after the storm had left the stranded. Franziska drew her breath painfully as Phoenix, weary and unnerved, knocked twice with the doors once golden/ bronze knocker.

* * *

Ich liebe dich = i love you.

as for reveiws, i fear there are far to many for me to read, but i just want to say thank you, to ALL of you, even if you left but came back to see what damage i did XD.

Nest Chapter will be called Stürme. Wish me luck :D


End file.
